New Nexus 7 now available through Google Play ahead of expected release date

While the new Nexus 7 has already been arriving in some retail stores and online ahead of its expected July 30 release, Google just announced that the device is now available to purchase through Google Play. It’s still only available to customers in the US, as an official date for the rollout to Canada, UK, Germany, France and a handful of other locations has not yet been confirmed.

We already reported that retailers were planning on receiving the new Nexus 7 in and around July 30, but others have reportedly already been able to get their hands on the device through several channels.  Staples is already offering $30 off the device through a discount on tablets that it’s currently running. Reviews of the device have been strong, with most pegging it as a serious iPad mini competitor, but we’ll see in the coming hours and days if demand for the device is just as strong.

The new Nexus 7 is 50 grams lighter and 2mm thinner than the previous version, and comes with a 1920×1200 display with 323 pixels per inch, 2GB of RAM, and a 1.5GHz Snapdragon chipset.

Both the 16GB model ($229) and the 32GB model ($269) are available to order through Google Play now with an estimated shipping date of July 30. A 32GB LTE version of the device will be arriving on AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile in the coming weeks for $349.

Surprise! The next generation @GoogleNexus 7 is now available. Order yours on Google Play: US- http://t.co/nLhy0emsaB

— Google Play (@GooglePlay) July 26, 2013