Nexus 7 sales close to crossing 1 million per month threshold, says ASUS
Nexus 7 sales are nearing the 1 million units per month threshold according to ASUS, the manufacturer of Google’s $199 Nexus 7 tablet. Exact sales figures on the tablet have been murky, with estimates for the third quarter of 2012 — the period covering the launch of the Nexus 7 through the end of the summer — somewhere in the 800,000 to 1 million range. Given ASUS’ recent statement, the number could be higher.
ASUS CFO David Chang said sales of the slate have increased steadily each month, rising from 500,000 in the first month to “close to 1 million” in the past month. Given that information, it is possible sales are already in the 2 to 3 million range. The company had set a goal of 3 million units sold by the end of the year.
This latest news seems to support the idea that Nexus 7 sales could reach a number closer to 8 million by the year’s close, an estimate determined over the summer based on touch panel shipments. Google, however, has yet to divulge data detailing the exact number of units moved.
The Nexus 7 has carved out a nice place for itself among other currently available tablets, though it still has some work to do to catch up to Apple’s iPad. Google hopes the introduction of new 7-inch models, including one with mobile data capabilities, will continue to move the needle farther. Apple’s newly introduced 7.9-inch iPad Mini, which is priced lower than their 10-inch model at $329, looks to challenge Google in this space. The company behind Android is pushing back with their own 10-inch model, the Nexus 10, which is priced competitively at $399 and features specs that match Apple’s flagship tablet.