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Google Nexus 7 and Android 4.1 - Mini Review

The fact that Google launched a 7" tablet by ASUS isn't a particularly huge surprise, given that ASUS showed off the Eee Pad Memo back at CES.  The story goes that Google liked that particular tablet so much, it became slotted in to become …

AnandTech Brian Klug

Context & Ripple Effects

Google and ASUS moved quickly from the leaked-device cycle to a formal $199 Nexus 7 launch with Android 4.1, turning an ASUS tablet concept shown at CES into Google’s reference 7-inch device. The pairing matters because Google is also presenting Jelly Bean as a way to improve Android’s fragmented rollout across manufacturers.

Early reviewer reaction identifies the Nexus 7 as the strongest tablet at its price, giving Google a hardware vehicle for its software agenda rather than relying solely on partner devices.

First-order effects

  • ASUS gains a Google-branded showcase for its 7-inch hardware, while buyers get a $199 tablet that ships with Android 4.1.
  • Google can use the Nexus 7 as the immediate reference device for Jelly Bean, alongside its stated effort to give manufacturers earlier operating-system access.

Second-order effects

  • Other Android tablet makers must answer a Google-backed $199 price-and-software benchmark, tightening the room to differentiate only on low cost.
  • Earlier Jelly Bean access makes the quality and speed of manufacturers’ Android updates a more visible competitive issue.

Third-order effects

  • If Google continues pairing new Android releases with Nexus hardware, the Nexus line can become a mechanism for setting both price expectations and the baseline Android experience.
  • The episode points toward a more vertically directed Android ecosystem, in which Google’s own reference products exert greater influence over partner roadmaps.

The trend: Google is using Nexus hardware to turn Android releases into consumer-facing benchmarks for price, software freshness, and partner execution.

Related: Google Nexus 7 · ASUS · Google makes the Nexus 7 tablet official: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and a $199 price · Nexus 7: This Is Google's New Nexus Tablet

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