One thing noticeably missing from Google I/O 2013 was any hardware news. Many people had anticipated that we’d see a new Nexus 7 tablet unveiled at this year’s event, especially when you consider that the original Nexus 7 was unveiled at Google I/O 2012. Sadly, however, Google kept quiet on its budget tablet offerings at this year’s event, which as you can expect, only caused more speculation as to what the company has planned for later on this year. It seems quite obvious that Google will release a successor to the Nexus 7 considering how popular it was, so the real question surrounding it is when it will be released.
DigiTimes, who has been hit and miss in the past with reports, claims that a new Nexus 7 tablet will be released sometime this July. This falls in line with what other sources have been saying. The web site’s source is Elan Microelectronics, a Taiwanese supplier of integrated circuitry for touch screen devices. The company claims to have already begun shipping touchscreen controllers for the production of the upcoming Nexus 7 successor.
Because of the orders coming in for the new Nexus 7, Elan Microelectronics is expected to tout increased revenues in May and June, which can lead you to infer that the device will begin manufacturing during those months. That timetable does go along with everything else we’ve heard about a July launch of the device.
Specs for the new Nexus 7 remain a mystery, but recently we have had some reports of what we may see. The tablet will supposedly launch with a new version of Android 4.3. Specifications of the device may include a Snapdragon 600 processor and 1920 by 1200 display, while pricing will remain the same $199, according to industry analysts.
- 7-inch LTPS display with 1920—1200 (WUXGA) resolution
- Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, quad-core (the same processor in the Nexus 4)
- 5-megapixel camera on the back
- HD front-facing camera
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 4000mAh battery with Qi wireless charging
- Android 4.3 – Jelly Bean
Even though this report is coming from the infamous DigiTimes, I think it’s safe to say that if you are looking to buy a Nexus 7, then it is probably best to hold off until July to see what Google has planned.
Source: DigiTimes