Nexus 7 out of stock at Google Play; 16GB spotted at $199
The existing 8GB and 16GB tablets are currently unavailable as Google reportedly readies a new 32GB edition.
Google could be clearing the way for a new 32GB Nexus 7 tablet as it takes its current models offline.
The $199 8GB and the $249 16GB versions are both out of stock on the Google Play site. The page lists the status of both models as "coming soon." A text field prompts you to enter your e-mail address to be notified when they're available.
Google is reportedly prepping a 32GB version of the Nexus 7 that would replace the 16GB as the high-end model. The 32GB model would adopt the same $249 price tag as the 16GB edition, which itself would be marked down to $199.
Last week, a few retailers in the U.K. already trimmed the price on the 16GB model to $199. And some of their U.S. counterparts are following suit.
Staples, GameStop, and Office Depot all are selling the 16GB Nexus 7 for $199. However, GameStop lists the tablet as unavailable online and Office Depot shows it as out of stock online and at many of its brick-and-mortar stores.
Google is likely setting the stage for its own price drop, certainly on the 16GB model.
What fate awaits the 8GB version is unknown: it could be marked down to a bargain-basement price or discontinued permanently.
The 32GB Nexus 7 itself has been spotted by various sources at some Office Depot stores.
Google was supposed to hold a launch event today in which it would have likely unveiled its new Nexus models. But the company was forced to cancel the event in light of Hurricane Sandy. So consumers will have to wait until the calm after the storm to get a peek at Google's new lineup.
