The Nexus 7 listing on the Play Store has been refreshed, and it may signal a design shift on the Play Store. Where as we once had to choose the variation of which device we wanted via a series of thumbnails, the Nexus 7 listing now has a drop-down menu and two icons for different memory options.
The drop-dow menu has a list of variations, with WiFi being the default. From there, you can select an LTE Nexus 7 with T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon. This could be to avoid confusion when ordering an LTE device, or it could mean the Play Store device listing is undergoing a bit of a change.
As we ready ourselves for the Nexus 5 — and still see the Nexus 4 on the Play Store site — perhaps we’ll see Google sell carrier devices via their online portal as well as unlocked variants. While a carrier device would only really be of concern to Verizon or Sprint, it could be as simple as selling the device outright, then allowing customers to handle the rate plan with the carrier. That’s a bit different than the normal routine, but could be a good satellite option for CDMA customers who want the device.
It’s worth noting that this change isn’t reflected on any other device page, though we’d like to see it elsewhere. It’s a cleaner look, and a bit easier to navigate. We’d like to think the only reason the Nexus 7 has seen the change is because Google is doing this for all “current” Nexus devices, and the current Nexus 10 and Nexus 4 are seeing the end of their cycle. It would also make things easier on the site itself, as the deluge of Nexus 5 customers will undoubtedly test the site, just like last year.
When I went to the Nexus 7 choices, there is no mentions of Verizon. In fact, it says LTE (GSM Networks). Previously it had said LTE with no additional information.