Google’s revamped Nexus 7 tablet stepped outside North America on Tuesday, with availability reported in a number of European countries as well as Japan.
The second iteration of the Mountain View company’s popular seven-inch tablet launched in the US on July 26, and Canada on August 13.
According to Android news site Phandroid, consumers in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Japan can now purchase the Wi-Fi-only version of the device via local Google Play sites. In the UK, tech stores Currys and PC World are also selling the new tablet.
In the UK, the 16GB model is going for £200, while the larger 32GB alternative will cost Brit buyers £240. In Japan, meanwhile, online shoppers will have to hand over 27,800 yen (16GB) or 33,800 yen (32GB).
At the launch event in July, the Web giant said Australia and South Korea would also be among the first markets to get the new Asus-made tablet, but it looks as though consumers in those locations will have to hold on a little longer.
The more expensive LTE versions of the Nexus 7 are also expected to land soon, possibly next month.
Google’s spruced-up tablet has been well received for the most part, with DT for one offering high praise for its super-sharp display, thinner and lighter design, fast Android 4.3 operating system, and powerful processor. The biggest disappointment was the new 5-megapixel camera, described as “terrible”, with snaps looking “unfocused, flat, and washed out”.
Google will be keen to push its manufacturing facilities to the limit in order to roll out its tablet in as many countries as possible ahead of the expected release of a revamped iPad Mini, which many believe will launch with a high-definition Retina display. Rumors point to an October arrival for Apple’s diminutive iPad, though others have suggested it might not happen till early 2014.
