Nexus 7 to gain $100 model and 32GB model?

Google’s Nexus 7 tablet family–which is excellent, by the way–may be getting a little bigger. Perennial rumor mill Digitimes issued a report based on conversations with “Taiwan-based supply chain makers” that points to a $99 Nexus 7 tablet with a single core ARM processor, instead of the quad-core SoC beast currently in the $199 Nexus 7. Digitimes goes so far to say that it would launch before the end of 2012.  However, Asus has claimed that they’ve no plans to launch a cheaper Nexus tablet, so Digitimes thinks it could be made by Quanta Computer. While a $100 Nexus Android tablet would be an interesting price point, Digitimes is often wildly wrong, so don’t wait for a $100 Nexus tablet until you hear more information or Google announces it.

On the other hand, the clues pointing towards a 32GB Nexus 7 have reached such a crescendo that it looks like a launch is eminent. Several retailer circulars distributed in Europe point to a 32GB version of the Nexus 7 in time for the holidays. There’s a circular from Argos, an electronics retailer in the UK that features a 32GB Nexus 7 in its holiday gift guide. Apparently, it’s also listed at £199.99, which is the same price as the 16GB model in the UK. Other outlets, including Best Buy Canada, and Staples have also confirmed the existence of a 32GB model. This is one rumor that you should perhaps wait on–the Nexus 7 doesn’t come with an SD card slot, so you’re stuck with built-in storage, and 16 extra GB for the same price isn’t bad at all.

Kif Leswing
Categories: Gadgets
Tags: Nexus 7