You can no longer buy the Nexus 7 from Google

By David Nield Published April 25, 2015

Nexus 7 Announcement — Image used with permission by copyright holder

It had a good run, but the end is nigh: Google has pulled the 2013 edition Asus Nexus 7 from its online store, marking the end of the road for the small, inexpensive tablet. Whether or not a new Nexus 7 is on the cards for 2015 remains to be seen.

The Nexus 7 first appeared in 2012, just ahead of the iPad mini, in an attempt to get a foothold for Android tablets in an Apple-dominated market. It’s largely succeeded in its mission, with a wealth of both high-end and budget Android slabs now available for consumers — there are far more choice for Android tablet buyers now than there were in 2012.

Recommended Videos

The second edition Nexus 7 showed up in summer 2013, earning high praise in the Digital Trends review: “The Nexus 7 is, again, the king of all Android tablets,” we wrote back then. “At $230, it’s still affordable, and with a Full HD screen, it’s never looked better.”

Nothing lasts forever though, and after two years of duty it was inevitable that the Nexus 7 would get pulled sooner or later. With Google now up to 6 in its Nexus numbering system for smartphones, it’s going to be interesting to see what the tech firm does with the Nexus 7 name next — an all-new tablet? Or a large-screen smartphone?

We don’t have any official word from Google at this point but you can see for yourself that the Nexus 7 has disappeared from the lineup in the Nexus store. With the Nexus 6 having suffered supply problems and the larger Nexus 9 yet to make a significant dent in the market, Google will be hoping that the next device in the range proves to be a hit.

Meanwhile, if you’re desperate to add the Nexus 7 2013 edition to your gadget museum collection, we’d suggest heading to eBay as quickly as possible.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…

Mobile

I tried the Google Pixel 9’s AI features. Here’s why you should use them

A person holding the Google Pixel 9, showing the camera.

Apple wants you to believe that the iPhone 16 is the one true AI phone that will change your life in meaningful ways. After all, you don’t just slap a “Built for Apple Intelligence” marker on every page where the phones are waxing poetic about their private and practical AI chops.

My mileage has been quite disenchanting so far, and it seems you should not buy into all those claims until Apple releases all the AI tricks that it has promised so far. That wait could extend well into 2025. On the other hand, you have the Google Pixel 9.

Mobile

Samsung and Google can learn a lot from these affordable foldables

The back of the Tecno Phantom V Flip 2 and Phantom V Fold 2.

There’s something very satisfying about using a pair of folding phones where I don’t have to first consider the cost before talking about anything else. Tecno’s Phantom V Fold 2 and Phantom V Flip 2 aren’t cheap, but they can be considered affordable in today’s high-priced smartphone world.

Despite that, neither is horribly compromised or obviously built on a strict budget. There’s a lot to like -- and also a lot that other brands can learn from these two fun foldables.
Truly affordable foldables
Tecno Phantom V Flip 2 (left) and Phantom V Fold 2 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Mobile

Passports are coming to Google Wallet, but you’ll still need the paper version

Person holding a phone with Google Wallet opened showing the new Everything Else feature.

Do you use Google Wallet? It's handy for storing payment methods, event tickets, and much more in an easily accessible place, but now there's a new feature coming: passports.

Last year, Google introduced the ability to save select state identification cards to your Wallet. The company now says it's soon going to beta test a new type of digital ID that not only makes this feature available to a larger number of users, but also includes a U.S. passport. And yes, it will work at the airport at select Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.