NVIDIA clarifies why you can’t find a Shield TV anywhere

NVIDIA may not have officially discontinued the $149 Shield TV, but it seems highly likely that it won’t come back in stock. Following reports a couple of days ago that the base variant of NVIDIA’s Android TV wasn’t in stock across multiple retailers, the company has replied to our request for comment on the matter.

In an email sent to Android Authority, NVIDIA clarified:

The SHIELD TV base model is largely out of stock due to demand. We don’t have any updates to share regarding future availability at this time. SHIELD TV Pro remains available, and the SHIELD platform continues to be supported with ongoing updates for more than 10 years.

While that statement doesn’t say that NVIDIA is discontinuing any of the Shield TV models, it also sidesteps any assurances that the base Shield TV will ever come back in stock.

Of course, it’s possible that the Shield TV’s base model is unavailable purely due to high demand. However, NVIDIA’s silence on future availability doesn’t inspire confidence in the future of the device.

Pair that statement with the suddenly reduced prices of the Shield Remote, and NVIDIA’s confirmation that the Shield TV Pro remains available, and it seems like the company could be cutting the base Shield TV from its lineup.

As we mentioned in our earlier coverage of the Shield TV’s mysterious disappearance, NVIDIA could be discontinuing the device due to the rising costs of memory components. It could also be streamlining its offerings by cutting out the device that didn’t seem as popular with customers as its more powerful “Pro” variant.

If you’re waiting for the Shield TV to come back in stock, you could get lucky and actually find it, but we wouldn’t hold our breath. Chances are, the Shield TV Pro is the way forward as far as NVIDIA’s plans for its Android TV devices are concerned.