Google reportedly planning to launch $99 Nexus 7 by end of 2012

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
The race to offer the lowest-priced tablet on the market is rumored to reach a new level later this year, with Google reportedly planning to release a $99 Nexus 7 tablet.

Google is said to be working with Asustek on two new versions of its Nexus 7 tablet, according to DigiTimes. The new models are expected to be thinner and will utilize panels made by HannStar display, sources told the industry publication.

"One of the models will be priced at US$199 while the other will be priced at US$99, and both models are expected to hit markets by the end of 2012," the report said.

Google's rumored sub-$100 tablet is said to be in anticipation of Apple's so-called "iPad mini." The company is expected to hold an event in October to introduce a new, smaller 7.85-inch iPad model.

If Google does release a new, less expensive Nexus 7 model this year, its debut would come only a few months after the launch of the $199 8-gigabyte Nexus 7. Google's low-priced tablet was seen as a response to the Amazon Kindle Fire, which reached that same price point last year while forking the open-source Android operating system to create Amazon's own separate platform.

Nexus 4


Amazon responded to the Nexus 7 by undercutting its price with a new low-end model for $159 which debuted earlier this month. The expanded Kindle Fire lineup goes as high as the $499 price point with an "HD" model that features integrated 4G LTE support and offers $50/year, 250-megabyte-per-month data plans.

Just this week, Barnes & Noble also made a bigger push into the tablet space dominated by Apple's iPad as it introduced a new 9-inch Nook HD+. That device will be priced at $269 for a 16-gigabyte model, while the 7-inch Nook HD will cost $199 for an 8-gigabyte model.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 136
    Google's stupidity is exceeded only by Google's stupidity. They will lose money on every unit but make it up on volume.
  • Reply 2 of 136
    The $99 version will be supported Google Ads. Time will tell if people will buy it.
  • Reply 3 of 136
    msanttimsantti Posts: 1,377member
    Well, that will end any other Android tablet development.

    I mean, what's the point?
  • Reply 4 of 136

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by msantti View Post



    Well, that will end any other Android tablet development.

    I mean, what's the point?


    Domination. Google wants to control their devices and what's shown on them. This will be a perfect way to get as many out there and show ads everywhere possible.

  • Reply 5 of 136


    This isn't a game of limbo.. I thought Google said they were already breaking even at $200. How can they trim off another $100? If true, this has to be at a loss.

  • Reply 6 of 136


    The race to the bottom has just moved up a gear.

     

  • Reply 7 of 136
    red oakred oak Posts: 1,087member
    Google is effectively killing off any chance of Android hardware manufactures making any money in tablets. Namely, Samsung

    If I were them, I would be fu***** pissed.

    Google is looking out for itself...One giant funnel into search to drive their core business. It does not give a shit about its partners

    The other shoe will drop in a few years when Apple replaces Google with Bing as the default search. Boom. In one move, Google loses half its mobile revenues



  • Reply 8 of 136
    ivlad wrote: »
    Domination. Google wants to control their devices and what's shown on them. This will be a perfect way to get as many out there and show ads everywhere possible.

    Perhaps Google wants to drive everyone else out of the Android business. Would certainly be the ebst thing for Android.
  • Reply 9 of 136


    A $99 Nexus tablet will fly off the shelves.

  • Reply 10 of 136
    xero910 wrote: »
    This isn't a game of limbo.. I thought Google said they were already breaking even at $200. How can they trim off another $100? If true, this has to be at a loss.

    I think it will be interesting to see if Apple can do a ~7.8" tablet for $250. They would own 100% of the profit in the small tablet space and they would be capping prices for the market. No one could ever charge more than that for a similar device.
  • Reply 11 of 136
    This must be music to the ears of hardware manufacturers wanting to sell tablets. Reminds me of the zune strategy, compete with your own partners.
  • Reply 12 of 136

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Red Oak View Post



    The other shoe will drop in a few years when Apple replaces Google with Bing as the default search. Boom. In one move, Google loses half its mobile revenues

     


     


    Not sure if that will happen. Bing isn't as good as Google. However, I would welcome the idea of Apple creating their own search engine. Search would likely help in the long run given they are doing Maps now too. They're more likely to use Bing than create their own, but it's a nice thought. :)

  • Reply 13 of 136
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member


    Well the tablet race to the bottom has certainly gone quicker than it did with the computer market. Not that Apple cares, if anything it differentiates them and marks them out as the premium niche which they love so much.

  • Reply 14 of 136
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    raymccrae wrote: »
    This must be music to the ears of hardware manufacturers wanting to sell tablets. Reminds me of the zune strategy, compete with your own partners.

    It's even 'better' than that. Google makes money on advertising, so they can sell the hardware for below cost while the hardware vendor has to make all their money on the hardware sale. So Google is competing with their OEMs and has an insurmountable advantage over them.
  • Reply 15 of 136
    I just bought a 7 inch tablet with a dual core CortexA9 1.5Ghz, dual GPU, 16Gb Memory and an IPS display for 109$ straight from a decent company in China.

    I don't think they will be losing money.
  • Reply 16 of 136
    xero910 wrote: »
    Not sure if that will happen. Bing isn't as good as Google. However, I would welcome the idea of Apple creating their own search engine. Search would likely help in the long run given they are doing Maps now too. They're more likely to use Bing than create their own, but it's a nice thought. :)

    Bing is a Microsoft owned search engine, so I highly doubt Apple would use them.
  • Reply 17 of 136


    I'll wait for the $29 dollar tablet.

  • Reply 18 of 136


    Maybe they can get a $99 tablet out the door if they put in a 5" crappier quality screen, slower memory and a crappier processor.


     


    If Google loses money on every one, we should collectively go out, buy every single one, and return them unopened before the return period expires. image

  • Reply 19 of 136
    kevtkevt Posts: 195member


    Good for consumers.


     


    I'm sure Apple won't join in the 'race to the bottom' on price, but continue to look to the quality end of the market. None-the-less some price pressure on Apple due to competition will not go amiss.


     


    I don't mind paying for quality, but what really annoys me about Apple iPad prices is the premium charged for higher storage capacity. In the UK it's an extra £80 ($128) for a 32Gb iPad over a 16Gb one, when the difference in cost of parts is a few $. And it's to Apple's benefit to sell higher capacity devices - more room for sales of Apps and content through the App Store & in-App purchases.

  • Reply 20 of 136
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    shidell wrote: »
    A $99 Nexus tablet will fly off the shelves.

    Yeah, and right into the dumpsters.
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