Google and Asus are reportedly collaborating anew to deliver another version of the hit quad-core tablet Nexus 7, this time to be priced at a starting point of $US99 and set for unveiling in the initial months of 2013.

Taiwan-based DigiTimes reported this week that Google and Asus, the former obviously buoyed by the overwhelming reception generated by its latest line of Nexus gadgets, are now midway into producing a cheaper edition of the 7-inch tablet, already a global hit on the account of its starting price of $US199.

"O-Film reportedly started shipping products for the Nexus 7 in December 2012. GFF technology will help cut production costs for the lower-priced Nexus 7 as well as make it thinner," DigiTimes reported on Wednesday.

O-Film is Shenzhen O-Film, a Chinese producer of touch screen panels while GFF refers to glass-film-film technology, which would allow Asus to squeeze all the Nexus 7 components into a paper-thin (as close as possible) tablet shell.

It is understood that with this technology to be included on the upcoming Nexus 7 iteration, the price target of $US99 is highly achievable.

However, PC Mag also indicated that the planned Google slate will be priced $US149 at the highest range. This configuration is likely to carry higher hardware specs than the basic model, the tech site added.

While the only confirmed specs that blog sites attribute to this dirt-cheap Nexus 7 is the inclusion of the latest Android JellyBean version, Android Community suggested that the 7-inch device is likely packed with dual-core processing chips with a screen resolution of 1024 by 600.

As an entry-level tablet, this new Nexus 7 is expected to be stripped of the HD screen that Android lovers came to relish with the earlier makes, the blog site added.

"Google and AsusTek Computer want to aim the tablet at emerging markets and are setting shipment estimates between 500,000-600,000 on the device's release date," DigiTimes further reported.

The publication added that this latest Nexus 7 edition is set to hit global markets between January and March next year, with tech experts speculating that it will be unwrapped come the CES event in Las Vegas next month.

But indications also emerged that Google would want to wait out until Q2 2013, probably to allow consumers some breathing room following months of shopping spree during the 2012 holiday season.

It is likely, PC Mag said, that this new Nexus 7 version will take some attention away from Apple's iPad Mini, which tech experts welcomed with mixed reviews. While the smaller Apple tablet generally lived up to expectations, experts scored its stripped-down specs and expensive price tag, which starts at $US329.