It isn’t uncommon to see manufacturers come up with an overly modest sales forecast for a new product, resulting in a shortage of supply and overage of demand. That’s what is happening to Google right now, as the maker of the Nexus 7 is hard-pressed in keeping up with the demand for the 16 GB variant of the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean-powered tablet.

At the present, Google Play orders for the 16 GB Nexus 7 tablet are on hold in both the United States and United Kingdom. Previous reports suggested a 3-4 week wait for this variant, but at the moment, nobody knows for sure when would be the most reasonable time to expect the 16 GB Nexus 7 to be shipped.

The 8 GB version is very much available (ships in 3-5 days via Google Play), but sources from the UK claim that’s because it simply isn’t a hot seller at all. Conversely, several retailers in the US are listing the 8 GB version as “sold out.”

Regardless, there isn’t any question as to which Nexus 7 variant is more popular with buyers.

Although 16 GB may not sound like a lot of internal memory, especially for business users, it sounds just right for the average individual who uses his/her tablet for personal use. 8 GB just wouldn’t cut it for the average Joe, despite the lower price tag.

Those interested in buying a Google Nexus 7 might have to settle for the 8 GB variant, if they’re not willing to wait for that “Coming Soon” notice to be removed from Google Play.