British newspaper The Times is looking to expand its digital subscriber-base with subsidized tablet hardware. The paper, which has its online content guarded by paywalls, is offering subscribers a 32GB Nexus 7 for £50, down from the standard retail price of £199, as part of its "Digital Pack" offer. The pack includes a 18-month subscription to The Times, which can be purchased for £299 up-front, or charged as monthly fee of £17.33, following an initial payment of £67.33, which includes the £50 price of the tablet.

As well as a 32GB Nexus 7, subscribers get access to The Times' paywalled content, including mobile and tablet app versions across multiple platforms. It's a unique spin on the digital subscription model for news content, and it'll be interesting to see whether other paywalled newspapers follow suit in the future.

Today's offer comes just 24 hours after Times owner News Corporation announced the closure of its iPad-only outlet, The Daily.

Source: The Times; via: The Verge, The Wall