Android
Nexus 9 LTE Release Date Delayed
Google’s brand new Nexus 9 tablet has been available for slightly over a month since getting announced back on October 15th, but there’s still no good news regarding the 4G LTE variant. Last month was our first solid set of details surrounding when the Nexus 9 LTE would be released, but today we have bad news.
Back in October Google announced the all-new Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, and Android 5.0 Lollipop, and since then users have patiently been waiting to get their hands on all of the above. The Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 are available now in some regions, but many waiting for the connected Nexus 9 will have to wait even longer.
Read: Nexus 9 Hands-on & Impressions
When Google revealed the new Nexus 9 tablet, they confirmed three color options, two storage limits, and a 4G LTE variant would all be released. So far only the 16/32GB model in black and white are available from the Play Store, with no new details surrounding the Sand (gold) color option, or the LTE model many are waiting for.
Last month the first set of details and information finally arrived, when T-Mobile confirmed the Nexus 9 LTE would be released in the first week of December for its network. No other carriers have confirmed plans for the LTE Nexus 9, so this was good news. However, we’re now hearing the tablet is facing another delay, possibly because of the impending Android 5.0.1 update Google released earlier this week.
According to TmoNews the Nexus 9 LTE launch has been delayed until further notice, and no exact reason, details, or future release date was revealed. Their sources received an internal document from T-Mobile stores stating the beautiful new 8.9-inch Nexus 9 with blazing fast 4G LTE connectivity won’t be available this week as initially planned, and more details will be announced at a future date.
T-Mobile isn’t the only carrier that was planning to launch and release a Nexus 9 LTE model, but with them being the first to announce a solid release date, and now delaying that launch, it’s likely other carriers are potentially facing a similar situation. The entire Android 5.0 and Nexus launch hasn’t been extremely smooth, with bugs on old Nexus devices, an update coming as Android 5.0.1 to fix them, and supply limits slowing down the rollout of the Nexus 6 smartphone from Motorola.
Both the Google Play Store and Amazon have the Nexus 9 LTE listed, but they’ve yet to actually start taking pre-orders. Simply showing the device but no details regarding when it will actually arrive. Best Buy stores are taking orders though, but they won’t reveal a release date either. At this point we have no new information, and no solid release date to report.
Read: Nexus 9 Deal Delivers $100 Savings
In previous years and with most tablet launches, a 4G LTE version comes at a later date, so this wasn’t completely unexpected. That being said, the Nexus 9 launched on November 3rd and it has been available for over a month, and many are waiting for it to arrive before snagging a tablet this holiday season.
To end, TmoNews states that T-Mobile was planning to release the Nexus 9 LTE sometime this month, but now that seems unlikely. Meaning the delay isn’t just a few weeks, but possibly over a month as the tablet release could be pushed into early 2015 and past the holiday shopping spree.
We’ll keep an eye out for more details surrounding Google’s Nexus 9 LTE release, and in the meantime feel free to check out our Holiday Gift Guide for 2014 with other options like the iPad Air.
Justin wagner
12/05/2014 at 5:50 pm
I had one on pre order at Best Buy. They gave me a date of 2-5-2015 so I canceled my order. I bought a Nvidia Shield with LTE for now.