Google Could Launch a Sub-$99 Android Tablet in 2013

Google’s line of Nexus tablets is exceptionally popular. The Nexus tablets offer the best blend of price and performance while giving users the latest Android experience possible. Nexus devices – including the Nexus 4, 7, and 10, were flying off the virtual shelves of the Google Play Store throughout 2012. But it looks like Google wasn’t happy with merely dominating the sub-$199 tablet market. Its next target? The sub-$99 price point. According to a new report by DigiTimes, an Asian publication well-known for its tech-related leaks and news, Google will release an “entry-level” model of its Nexus 7 at some point in the near future. This entry-level model won’t cost more than $100 and will offer a slower but just-as-functional alternative to the standard Nexus 7. Interestingly enough, the $99 Google Nexus tablet was accompanied by a flurry of other rumors about the sub-$99 range. Acer and ASUS “and a dozen other generic tablet makers” will also jump into the budget tablet bin and begin to make 7-inch tablets in the sub-$99 price range. DigiTimes says that a $99 7-inch tablet could be released by Acer as soon as first quarter 2013. Their sources are “Taiwan-based supply chain makers.” Here’s our prediction: Google (and their manufacturing partner LG) will find a way to cut to the $99 price range without sacrificing a horrific level of quality. But other less talented companies might find the cut difficult to make. In any case, stay tuned to the One Click Root blog as we learn more about good 7-inch tablets that cost less than $100.