With Google rumored to announce its new line of Nexus tablets Oct. 29, Apple wasted no time in throwing the first punch at its rival during the unveiling event for the iPad Mini Oct. 23, emphasizing the many advantages the company claims its new 7-inch tablet has over Google's popular Nexus.

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"Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President for marketing, devoted several minutes of the event to making unflattering comparisons between the Nexus 7 tablet and the new iPad Mini," noted event attendees CNET.  Schiller reportedly ripped into the Google Nexus 7's build quality, saying its plastic back was no match for the iPad Mini's aluminum design.

Schiller then attacked the Nexus' display. The Senior Vice President noted the Mini's 29.6-inches of screen space dwarfed the Nexus tablet's 21.9-inches.  

"There is a gigantic difference," Schiller said.

To demonstrate the disparity, Schiller pulled up the website of the Guggenheim museum and showed how much of the site could be seen on the two tablets. In portrait mode, the Mini's display showed 49 percent more than the Nexus. In landscape it showed 67 percent more.

Schiller's final criticism exploited Android's lack of apps when compared to Apple. Granted, that's everyone. The Senior VP dismissed Android apps as nothing more than "scaled-up phone experiences," and said they could not compare with the 275,000 apps written just for the iPad.

Of course, Schiller couldn't mock the Nexus 7's $200 price tag, especially considering Apple announced its iPad Mini would be priced at $329. And the price for some Nexus models is rumored to fall to $99 very shortly.

32GB Nexus 7 AND 3G Nexus tablets

Google is reported to finally be revealing the 32GB Nexus 7 Oct. 29, according to The Next web. In addition to the new standard model, the website also claims there will also be a HSPA+ (3G) model.

THE 8GB Google Nexus 7 tablet is now mysteriously "unavailable" to buy from both the U.S. and U.K. Google Play stores, which may quietly confirm rumors that Google will launch a 32GB model at its Android event next week.

Customers wanting to buy the 8GB tablet, which was launched back in July, are now greeted with a "coming soon" sign where it previously showed "add to cart." Users are instead left with an option to submit their email addresses and be notified by the website when the model becomes available again.

Several sites had previously reported that a cheaper Nexus 7 was planned for release in the U.K. and U.S. before Christmas, according to a retailer's ad.

TeckComesFirst reported that a U.K retailer, Argos, has advertised a 32GB version of the Nexus 7 in its holiday gift guide. The snippet from the purported holiday gift guide shows a 32GB ASUS-made Nexus 7 priced at £199.99 (about $323).

"In the US, several leaks have already suggested that the 32GB device will be available for around $250," reports ZDNet. "One US Staples Advantage promo was spotted by self-confessed 'Google/Android fanatic' Joe Sanchez, who managed to take a screenshot of retailer's online listing for the device before the page was removed."

The Nexus-brand tablets expected to be released by Google will compete directly with Apple's iPad Mini, and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD. And while the tablets are dwarfed in size by the Microsoft Surface's 10-inches, both tablets are expected to be sold well-under the $499 price point.

Although the machines are not as powerful or bulky as the full-sized iPad and the Microsoft Surface, many consumers have opted for 7-inch tablets due to concerns over portability and pricing.

According to a recent report from Android Central, it appears that the 32GB Nexus 7 will be available at a price of $249, and will most likely be launched on Oct. 29, the date on which Google has scheduled an event in New York.

"We all know there's a 32-gigabyte Nexus 7 coming down the pike -- very possibly at the Oct. 29 event in New York City. And the box of one apparently has made its way into our forums. We've got one member, KidCuda, saying it's ringing up at $249, which is the current price of the 16GB Nexus 7," reported the website.

A member of the Android Central forum, the highly credibly named Stonerman34, leaked the information that the Nexus 7 has a release date of Oct. 29.

Further evidence of a Oct. 29 release date comes via Droid-Life, who claim a reader "took the item number that leaked over the last week (#100604), contacted their sales department, and was able to purchase the [32GB Nexus 7]."

The reader was then called by Staples who said they had to cancel his order due to contract details with Google, and he was told that he could re-order on Oct. 29.