Google Officially Discontinues Nexus 7 Tablet

An anonymous reader writes: Google's 7-inch tablet has disappeared from the Google Store, where a note in red type simply states that the device is no longer available for purchase. "The Nexus 7 was first released back in 2013, so it's fair to say it had a good run. The Android-based tablet received great reviews, but what really made it a long-term success was the fact that it was affordable and continually received updates from Google. Manufactured by Asus, the Nexus 7 was even treated to Android Lollipop, the latest version of the operating system, although not with bug-free results. The discontinuation shouldn't come as a big surprise, however, as Google pulled a similar move back in March with the Nexus 5 smartphone, not to mention the Nexus 9 tablet's release last fall."

Comments

"although not with bug-free results"

[bill_mcgonigle]

If Google can't even make Lollipop work on its own hardware, how much of an endorsement is that for other manufacturers to put their efforts into Android? Clearly it's not because Google is underfunded.

Re:"although not with bug-free results"

[Andy Dodd]

The article was pretty poor.

There were two Nexus 7 devices:
1) The 2012 Nexus 7 (often referred to by its internal codename, grouper), using an NVidia Tegra3 chipset. This did get Lollipop, although it was kind of "meh", mostly with performance issues, showing that the hardware was getting a little on the old side. Google may have been trying to make up for the Galaxy Nexus getting dropped prematurely due to TI by keeping a different Nexus device supported for as long as absolutely possible. This device was discontinued in Summer 2013 when its successor was announced.
2) The 2013 Nexus 7 (often referred to by its internal codename, flo), using a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064), pretty much the same as the Snapdragon 600 at a slightly lower clock speed. This runs Lollipop well due to newer hardware. This is the device that was just discontinued.

grouper was always a bit "meh" - I don't know if it was the fault of Asus or NVidia, but Tegra3 tablets from Asus were always notorious for poor storage performance. I think other Tegra3 tablets had similar issues, but honestly - Asus was the largest Tegra3 customer by far thanks to grouper and the Transformer series of tablets, so it's hard to tell who was at fault.

The fact that flo didn't have grouper's storage performance issues (same device manufacturer, different chip inside) indicates it was probably the Tegra3.

Re:"although not with bug-free results"

[ThaumaTechnician]

Came here to say the same thing. It's slow/unusable on the original Nexus 7, but on the 2013 version, it's fine.

Short-sighted post

[thisisauniqueid]

How did this make the front page? I think the OP neglected to realize that Google I/O is just around the corner. Devices are discontinued every year right before I/O (after months of steep discounts to clear stock) to make way for the new device(s) that are about to be announced.

Re:No mention of iPad in the summary?

[gstoddart]

there are many high-quality Android tablet alternatives in every form factor imaginable, the Nexus 7 isn't needed so much

I'll tell you why that's patently untrue.

A Nexus 7 was essentially guaranteed to get the Google branded Android, with no customizations and other crap by the manufacturer.

I don't care what Samsung or any other vendor has created in terms of their own stuff, their own store, and crap which is going to be unsupported or prevent me from getting updates.

With Google dropping a Nexus 7, everything is now likely to be a version of Android in which someone has decided to add their own crap -- primarily with the intent of collecting ad revenue or their own store.

I want none of this crap. I want a vanilla Android. Not the shit Samsung or any other vendor has foisted on it.

A Nexus device means you will have proper support from Google. Not be stuck with whatever shit the marketing department somewhere else came up with.

So now the question becomes when I want to replace my Nexus 7 if I buy a Nexus 9, or I buy a low end iPad.

Because I have no interest whatsoever in a non-standard Android.

Luck of the draw

[barlevg]

My 2012 N7 is still going strong (if a bit sluggish under Cyanogenmod 11). And I've heard from a few iPad owners who've had their devices die within months. Consumer electronics is a crapshoot--sometimes your device is essentially immortal (got a 2005 Dell Inspiron that's still doing great), sometimes it dies well before its time. I'd love to see aggregated statistics for median longevity for various tablets from various manufacturers. Would guess that the N7 wouldn't top the list, but would also guess it wouldn't be on the bottom either.

They had to discontinue it

[erice]

to free up the name name for the inevitable 7" smart phone.

Re:Good bye ( and not good buy)

[Dzimas]

When I realized that my 2009 ipad2 was still being used daily (albeit with lack of updates not as secure and running slowly) I realized that you can't beat apple hardware longevity.

Your "2009" iPad 2 was released in March 2011, so it's not quite as old as you think. ;)

Re:No mention of iPad in the summary?

[gstoddart]

.and are apparently unaware of third-party Android distributions for common devices

I'm not unaware of them. I'm completely fucking uninterested. There is a huge difference.

I don't want some device I have to build in a kit every couple of months. I'm beyond the point where I want to endlessly fiddle with technology. It's a waste of my time, and not something I do for fun.

I want something supported out of the box by the manufacturer, with as long of a shelf life as possible, and I don't want to enrich some corporation who feels they should give me a separate store or otherwise annoy me with non-standard stuff.

I have no interest in tracking my own CyanogemMod version, building it from a kit, hand bombing my install.

I like vanilla Android out of the box. I've seen the junk Samsung and others put on, and I have no interest in it.

But what I don't want is a device which is going to make more work for me.

Maybe the nerdy kids or the people with no lives feel some fulfillment out of endlessly fucking with their devices. But I sure as hell don't.

But I'll go back to Apple if the price points become similar. Only I'll go with a lower end device and treat it like it will only have a short lifespan. Especially if it means I know I'll have a device which isn't a pain in the ass to use.

For me technology is tools, not something to derive endless pleasure from tweaking it.

So, as usual, the open source solution of "yarg, just download this stuff, build this stuff, twiddle with this stuff" is advice that nobody else is interested in. I just want something which "just works" .. my original iPad did up to a point, and my Nexus 7 has so far.

Re:No mention of iPad in the summary?

[gstoddart]

No, all you did is miss my point about how I'm uninterested in building my device from a kit.

I don't want to buy it, root it download a new OS for it .... because I simply don't have any interest in it.

Will this magical thing perform its own updates and provide a mechanism to keep it up to date?

Sorry, the only "ignorance" I see here is you consistently suggesting I do exactly what I've already said I'm not interested in doing.

Fucking open source people always think people are willing to jump through hoops to install this shit.

What part of I don't want to fucking install a different OS on a device I've bought is beyond your comprehension here?

By the time we're talking about rooting it, putting on a boot loader, and installing another OS ... we're well and truly into the "I don't want to play this stupid fucking game". And yet you keep saying it.

I want a piece of consumer electronics, not some fucking make work hobby project.

So why don't you get it through your head that my idea of fun is not having to manually be involved in maintaining my tablet at this level? Because it's a waste of my damned time.

Nexus 7 (2013) Best All Around Tablet Ever(so far)

[nevermore94]

I know that many will disagree with me, but I still think that the Nexus 7 (2013) was the best all around tablet ever made. I have owned 5 tablets (3 different 7", 2 different 10") and my Nexus 7 (2013) is the only one that I still use on a daily basis and I would recommend it to anyone to buy (if they still can). I just bought my mom one last month. It has been the perfect size for me, just small enough that I can easily throw it in a jacket pocket or palm it while walking down the hall to a meeting, and big enough that I can show a coworker some information on the screen during the meeting or a watch a movie on a plane. The price/performance ratio has been unmatched by any other tablet that I have ever encountered. Nice wide full HD high resolution screen and stereo speakers for movies, 2GB of RAM, plenty fast processor, and no unnecessary bloated custom software. My only complaint ever has been the lack of a MicroSD slot that 3 of my other tablets had. Due to the 4:3 resolution the Nexus 9 never interested me.
I really hope that Google will be announcing a suitable successor at I/O this year.