Google`s Nexus 7 Tablet Is In Danger of Failure: 10 Reasons Why - eWeek

Google`s Nexus 7 Tablet Is In Danger of Failure: 10 Reasons Why
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Google on June 27 at its I/O Conference finally unveiled the long-rumored Nexus 7 tablet. The device comes with a 7-inch HD display and the customer’s choice of 8GB and 16GB of storage. Like the Amazon Kindle Fire, the tablet lacks 3G or 4G LTE service, but does allow users to connect to the Web via WiFi. And for $199 or $249, depending on the version users pick, it seems like a good deal. 

But is it? The fact is, the 7-inch sector of the tablet space is being hit hard by devices that are both smaller and larger. The smaller devices are popular smartphones like Apple’s iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S III. On the higher-end side, products like Apple’s iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are attracting plenty of buyers. Simply put, 7-inch slates are in no man’s land and the Nexus 7 will suffer from that. 

Take a look at the reasons why the Nexus 7 is in danger of failure even before it starts shipping and why Google might not be doing enough right now to save it. 

1. The 7-inch display is an issue 

Looking around the mobile market, it’s impossible to find a single 7-inch tablet that has actually been successful over a long period. The Amazon Kindle Fire had a great launch, but its sales have faltered. The Galaxy Tab launched as a 7-inch tablet, but Samsung, seeing the writing on the wall, delivered a far more popular 10.1-inch alternative. The Nexus 7’s small screen is a liability.

2. The Apple juggernaut 

Apple is a major concern for every other company in the mobile market. The company’s iPad is a sales juggernaut, and so far, no tablet maker has been able to catch up now matter what features or form factor they delivered. Google, with its underpowered 7-inch tablet, will face the same struggle. 

3. Consumer awareness 

Google might be a massive company that gets a lot of attention, but it still can’t command the kind of attention a company like Apple does. There are undoubtedly products on store shelves right now that are as good as or even better than Apple’s products. But because they haven’t captured the market spotlight like Apple’s products consistently do, they’re largely ignored. Despite Google’s success in search, it faces the same challenge with the Nexus 7. 

4. The Amazon element 

Google’s chief competitor with the Nexus 7 is the Amazon Kindle Fire. And unfortunately for Google, the Kindle Fire is consistently given top billing on Amazon’s immensely popular homepage. That alone is a major selling point for Amazon and something that Google can do nothing about.