Google’s Nexus tablet launching in India in October

NEW DELHI: Nexus 7, the tablet made by Google in partnership with Asus, will launch in India in October this year. The 7-inch tablet is the first Nexus branded tablet and hence runs Google's unmodified Android operating software. It was announced at Google I/O on June 27.
The model with 8GB internal storage is priced at $199. It will be available in the US and three other countries in the coming weeks.The one with 16GB has been priced at $249. For India, price details were not known at the moment.
Industry insiders told the TOI the tablet would be available in India in October. “Asus and Google hope to complete the process to bring the tablet to India by the end of September. Once there is sufficient stock, it will be launched in the country,” said the person, who is familiar with the Nexus 7 launch schedule for India.
The industry insiders, who are aware of the tablet’s India launch schedule, added that Asus and Google might still make some changes. For example, price and other details, including exact configuration of the tablet, will be decided in September.
Given its relatively low price in the US, Nexus 7 may turn out to be one of the most affordable high-end tablets in India.
The Nexus 7 announced by Google is powered by a quad-core 1.3Ghz processor. It has 1GB RAM and a 1.2MP front camera. The device runs on Jelly Bean, the latest version of Android, which was also announced at Google I/O.
Many companies, including Samsung and Asus, are selling Android tablets since the beginning of 2011 but they have not made much headway against iPad, which continues to be wildly popular with consumers. Google hopes that with its own tablet, it will be able to entice consumers better. Also, the company believes that the Nexus tablet in the market will prompt app developers to write more tablet-specific apps for Android.
Nexus devices are Google branded products. Unlike a customized users interface that Samsung and HTC put in their Android devices, Nexus devices are powered by 'pure' Android and receive updates as soon as Google pushes them out. This makes these devices particularly attractive to power users, who don't want to wait to get latest software updates.
Even though Nexus products are considered to be Google's own devices, their launch is usually handled by the hardware partners.
With Nexus 7, Google is not only attempting to take on the iPad but also aiming for Kindle Fire, a 7-inch tablet made by Amazon. In India, Kindle Fire is not sold officially. But there are other 7-inch tablets that may feel the heat once Google's tablet hits the market here.
Update: This is a modified version of the story that was posted on Jul 4, 2012, 01.43pm. The changes have been made to incorporate additional inputs from industry sources.