Nexus 7: First Google device on sale at Google Play store
28 Mar 2013
Nexus 7, a tablet launched in the US last year, became the first Google device to be sold through the company's virtual store in India on Tuesday. The tablet, priced Rs15,999, can be pre-ordered by Indian consumers through Google Play store. The device would ship to consumers on 5 April.
The tablet debuts on Google store just days after chairman Eric Schmidt, who was on a Delhi visit, apologised for the non-availability of Nexus products in the country. Nexus products have gained much popularity among smart phone and tablet users as they run the unmodified version of Android and are serviced directly by Google. Their aggressive pricing by Google and guaranteed and prompt software updates add to their appeal.
Schmidt said last week, that he apologised for the lack of Nexus devices in India, but it was something that the company was working on. He added that part of the problem was that their products were more expensive than what they should be in India. He said also there were certification issues. He said the company wanted a fully-serviced market.
The Nexus 7 was announced in India during November last year for Rs19,990 – which was much higher than the $200 price tag for which it retailed in the US and other countries. With the new offer, a full Rs4,000 less than its previous selling price, the tablet would literally fly off Google Play store's virtual shelves in India, say industry analysts.
The Google Nexus 7, which has been one of Asus' best selling tablets sold close to a million devices a month last year according to the company. Also it was on the back of the Nexus 7 that Asus took the number four position of top tablet manufacturers in Q4 of 2012.
According to IDC data, Asus, which had a market share of 5.8 per cent, saw strong sales for the Google Nexus-7 inch tablet.
The device has also been highly praised by tech critics across the board for offering excellent value for its relatively cheap price tag. It was also named the 'gadget of the year' at London's T3 Gadget Awards 2012.
The Nexus 7, with a screen resolution of 1280×800 pixels, was the first 7-incher to house a 1.3GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core CPU, which included a 12-core GPU.