Heavy demand for 16 GB Nexus 7 leaves Google surprised

The Nexus 7 is one hot selling tablet. Weeks after its launch, the tablet has sold out from various stores, online shops and even the Google Play Store. The Play Store showcases the 16 GB model with an option to ‘sign up to be notified by email’ about the future availability of the tablet. The notification on the 16 GB one indicates only one thing - heavy demand and shortage of supply of units. Comparatively, the demand for the 8 GB model is still not that high. Sources close to Google have stated that the company seriously underestimated the demand for the 16 GB model. It seems that the cloud integration idea that Google wanted to implement hasn’t worked much as buyers still prefer to pay extra for more storage. Also, owing to the fact that the all the content on the Play Store isn’t available worldwide means that demand for the 16 GB Nexus 7 will definitely be higher across the globe. 

The Google Nexus 7

For those not in the know, the Google Nexus 7 tablet was announced at the recently concluded Google I/O 2012 event. Google has added a lot of high-end hardware to the mix, and has kept the price down to a minimum by selling it at $199 for the base model, which comes in a storage capacity of 8 GB. This tablet manufactured by ASUS is designed to take on Apple’s highly successful iPad, while posing a threat to the Amazon Kindle Fire. Google aims to tackle the competition better with its pricing strategy. The Google Nexus 7 tablet is available in two storage capacities, 8 GB and 16 GB, priced extremely competitively at $199 and $249 respectively. 

As for connectivity, the rumours that the Google Nexus 7 tablet would not come equipped with 3G, in order to keep the price low anhave come true. The connectivity options found on this flagship Google Nexus 7 tablet include Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth and NFC capabilities. This tablet also comes with Google Wallet pre-installed. As for the camera, it comes as no surprise that Google has added only a front-facing camera that can be used for video calls. However, this camera can shoot HD 720p videos. 

When it comes to size, this 7-inch tablet measures 198.5 x 120 x 10.5 mm, and weighs 340 grams. These dimensions allow it to go head-to-head with the Amazon Kindle Fire. The Google Nexus 7 is the first device running on Google’s latest operating software Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. As for availability, consumers from the US and the UK have been the first ones to get a taste of the Nexus 7. We hope that it comes to Indian shores soon.

So there is a clear preference for the 16 GB model of Google Nexus 7. If and when the tablet does come to India, which model would you buy? Let us know in your comments.