Google Said to be Preparing Half Million of Cheaper Nexus 7

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$199 tablet could have its price reduced to $150 and the long-rumored $99 price tag.

According to Taipei-based DigiTimes, Google is planning to cut the $199 price tag of its Nexus 7 tablet further.

The search engine giant and the tablet's manufacturer Asus are reportedly looking to manufacturer Nexus 7 units that will retail for $150, ultimately going as low as $99, according to sources at display component maker O-Film Tech.

The site added that the lower-priced Nexus 7 tablets should be released by the second quarter of next year. O-Film is said to have commenced the shipping of components for the lower-priced Nexus 7 in December, with the company's touch-screen glass-film-film (GFF) technology leading to lower production costs, as well as making the device itself thinner.

The cost-reduction measures may lead to a $99 Nexus 7 eventually, but, initially at least, a price range of $129 to $149 for the tablet will be offered, apparently. Shipment estimates for the cheaper tablet, meanwhile, ranges from 500,000 to 600,000 during the first quarter of shipments.

While Asus, who is rumored to be working on its own Android-powered tablet, initially rejected the notion of a cheaper Nexus 7, speculation has continued for months.

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Zak Islam
20 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Pyree
    If selling for $99, the Nexus 7 will probably become the most popular tablet for awhile.
    Reply
  • slatanek
    yeah, in America maybe. why-o-why is Europe being constantly ignored by the likes of Google? are we that small of a market? perhaps they should reconsider their shipping/pricing policy then people would buy more I guess.

    if you're lucky enough to even come across one you can get the Nexus 7 8GB for €199 which translates to $262. WTF?! for that you Americans will get a 16GB version and you'll still have some change for a cover or something.

    Grrrrrrrrrrrrr...
    Reply
  • getreal
    LOL at these Android tablets. They literally have to GIVE them away to get people to consider them!

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

    Congratulations on the unsustainable business model. When everyone expects a free device, you will be hard pressed to convince people to start paying for them after you have bankrupted your mobile division and can no longer play Robin Hood by giving away smart phones to poor people.
    Reply
  • Teeroy32
    woo hoo, I can't wait, I may get one for my birthday in June now
    Reply
  • @getreal, get real...
    Reply
  • markconstable
    @getreal doesn't get it, poor fella. Google doesn't have to make any return, let alone a high return, on the Nexus tablets because they make money via people using them with Google services. What REALLY matters to Google is that every time they sell a Nexus, or any Android device, that is one less sale to Apple or M$. That's what matters to Google.
    Reply
  • techcurious
    slatanekyeah, in America maybe. why-o-why is Europe being constantly ignored by the likes of Google? are we that small of a market? perhaps they should reconsider their shipping/pricing policy then people would buy more I guess. if you're lucky enough to even come across one you can get the Nexus 7 8GB for €199 which translates to $262. WTF?! for that you Americans will get a 16GB version and you'll still have some change for a cover or something. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr...Time and again, Europeans fail to realise that their higher prices are usually directly due to much higher sales taxes! Nothing Google or others can do about that..
    I hope they will get more aggressive with the price of the larger model, as I would be definitely interested! :)
    Reply
  • zeratul600
    WTF google make 1 millon of nexus 4, who gives a damn about tablets anymore? even my 2005 laptop using XP run games and browse smoother than any tablet, also i have tons of really free apps (freeware programs) because almost everything it's free for PC in linux or windows, what i want it's those cheap, beautiful and powerful Nexus 4 that have something that my laptop doesn't and that is portability... my laptop doesnt fit my pocket and neither will a 7 inch tablet, but 4 inch phone will do the trick
    Reply
  • Teeroy32
    zeratul600WTF google make 1 millon of nexus 4, who gives a damn about tablets anymore? even my 2005 laptop using XP run games and browse smoother than any tablet, also i have tons of really free apps (freeware programs) because almost everything it's free for PC in linux or windows, what i want it's those cheap, beautiful and powerful Nexus 4 that have something that my laptop doesn't and that is portability... my laptop doesnt fit my pocket and neither will a 7 inch tablet, but 4 inch phone will do the trickdude you must have realy small pockets, it reminds me of when game boy pockets came out, my mates where bragging about about them and teasing me about my brick game boy, till I put it in my polar fleece tracksuit pant pockets and said, I have a pocket game boy to, bigger is better lol
    Reply
  • slatanek
    zeratul600WTF google make 1 millon of nexus 4, who gives a damn about tablets anymore? even my 2005 laptop using XP run games and browse smoother than any tablet, also i have tons of really free apps (freeware programs) because almost everything it's free for PC in linux or windows, what i want it's those cheap, beautiful and powerful Nexus 4 that have something that my laptop doesn't and that is portability... my laptop doesnt fit my pocket and neither will a 7 inch tablet, but 4 inch phone will do the trick
    @techcurious you're partially right. have a quick look here:
    so it seems the whole picture is: the company's have to pay VAT taxes, but they get the most of it back anyway. the customer has to pay the full VAT + what the company sees appropriate adding, since they'll have to add the VAT to the price anyway so, "what the hack, if we add another €20 to the price no one will notice". Outcome? the customer gets screwed double :-(
    Reply