While the Nexus 7 remains one of the focal points of the Google Play Store, it may not be for long as Google is heavily rumored to be preparing a new Nexus 7 for launch, a device that is currently known as the Nexus 7 2, new Nexus 7 and Nexus 7 HD. In the past months, Nexus 7 2 rumors have been extensive and consumers, particularly those in the market for a new 7-inch tablet, are likely trying to piece it all together.
Last year, after years of Nexus-branded smartphones, Google finally introduced the first Nexus branded tablet in the Nexus 7, a device that developed alongside Asus, a well-known Android tablet manufacturer. The device, which arrived before the Kindle Fire HD and iPad mini, was one of the bright spots of the year as it paired some fantastic hardware alongside a fantastic price.
A Nexus 7 2 is expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
Combining a 7-inch IPS display, quad-core processor for things like gaming, front-facing camera and a durable design with a $199 starting price tag ensure that the Nexus 7 would be a best-seller. In fact, the Nexus 7 remains on shelves more than a year after the debut of the original, though, it’s looking like its time in the spotlight may be over soon.
For months, we’ve heard whispering about a new Nexus 7, a Nexus 7 2, that would emerge to take the place of the Nexus 7 and take on the likes of the iPad mini, iPad mini 2, Kindle Fire HD and the Kindle Fire HD 2. And while those rumors did not culminate in a launch at Google I/O, the new Nexus 7 is heavily rumored to be making its debut in a few weeks time.
What started as a slow stream has turned into an avalanche of rumors, something that makes it information hard to absorb, particularly amongst consumers who are on the fringe when it comes to mobile technology.
With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at the best and worse Nexus 7 2 rumors as we share everything that consumers need to know about the rumored new Nexus 7.
Release Date
Rumors point to a Nexus 7 2 arrival in July or August.
Without an official Nexus 7 2 announcement, there is no official release date, though it’s becoming quite clear that the Nexus 7 2 is destined for arrivalsometime in the coming weeks.
The most telling evidence is the fact that a device called the Asus K009, a device that Asus representatives seemingly confirmed to be the new Nexus 7, passed through the FCC and also received certification in Korea by a body affiliated with the KCC, Korea’s version of the FCC. The FCC filing stated that the device would be marketed as a Nexus. A similar device, the Asus K008, thought to be a Wi-Fi only model, also passed through certification.
Passing through the FCC is just one step towards launch though, considering that it happened several weeks ago, we should be getting close. And thanks to rumors, it appears that we are.
Rumors this week have aligned and agree that Asus and Google should be announcing the new Nexus 7 sometime in late July or early August. It’s unclear just when the release date might be though Google tends to announce release dates when it announces Nexus devices so it’s looking like consumers will know soon.
Typically, Google’s release dates come after the initial announcement though with Android 4.3 rumored for July, it’s possible that we could see an immediate refresh.
Design
Oddly enough, despite rumors that it will be coming soon, we haven’t seen the Nexus 7 2 itself leak out in a clear photo. Instead, all we’ve seen is a small photo from the FCC filing that appears to resemble a tablet that sports a design that looks close to the design of the original Nexus 7.
The photo shows the front of the device, not the back, and all we can make out is a form factor that is shaped like the older model and a front-facing camera in the center of the design. Other than that, the design remains a mystery.
We should see improved resolution with the Nexus 7 2.
We have seen Google improve its Nexus designs from year to year and it should mean that at the very least, the Nexus 7 2 design will have some tweaks. Whether that means different placement, different materials (though to keep it cheap, it will probably use plastic) or a slimmer design remains to be seen but consumers should not expect the exact same design as the original.
Typically, Nexus devices leak out numerous times before their launch and with the Nexus 7 2 pegged for late July or early August, it could only be a few days before we finally see the device leak in all of its glory.
Display
This could be the Nexus 7 2.
The Nexus 7 came with a stunning display for a cheap tablet, utilizing an IPS display that arrived with 1280 x 800 with 216ppi. That quality made for crisp looking images, video and games.
The Nexus 7 2 is looking like it’s going to improve on the Nexus 7 display as rumors and the FCC filing point to a display with 1920 x 1200 resolution which should mean that it can handle 1080p content. If true, it likely means a ppi count over 300.
This means that it’s likely that content on the Nexus 7 2 is going to look much better than it does on the Nexus 7 and the likes of the iPad mini.
Cameras
Last year’s Nexus 7 did not have a rear camera though it did possess a 1.2MP front-facing camera for video chatting purposes. The camera wasn’t amazing but it did the job. This year, it appears that Asus and Google will include both a rear camera and a front-facing camera with a 5MP rear camera and upgraded 1.9MP camera showing up in the FCC filing.
Tablets don’t make the best mobile cameras though it appears that the companies have included a camera to appease those that like using their slate as a camera.
Processor
Thanks to certifications, we know that the Asus K009 will be coming with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, one of the company’s current-generation chips and one that is found inside the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4.
The Snapdragon 600 is an upgrade over the Tegra 3 chip that is found inside the Nexus 7 and it should translate into better performance when it comes to games and quite possibly, improved battery life.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 is the more powerful of the two next-gen chips but it appears that Google, possibly due to costs, has opted to go with the Snapdragon 600.
Software
It’s has become clear that Google is planning to release a new Android update soon, not in the form of Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, but in the form of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. While a release date remain scarce, we’ve seen reliable sources confirm the update for arrival in July which could mean a debut on board the Nexus 7 2.
Android 4.3 appears to be coming with the Nexus 7 2.
Google typically releases new hardware with new software and despite Android 4.3 being a small update, it makes sense that it would arrive with the new Nexus 7. The update is said to be bringing Bluetooth LE (Light Energy), font changes, some tweaks to the camera app and some intriguing additions to Notifications. All of those were discovered thanks an Android 4.3 leak that occurred a few weeks back.
Android 4.3 won’t be the only software perk on board a new Nexus 7 2 either. Nexus devices also get their software straight from Google, come with unlocked bootloaders and utilize vanilla Android, all of which are likeable and all of which came with the previous Nexus 7.
Carriers
The Nexus 7 originally did not come with cellular support, instead, it was launched in Wi-Fi only form. Later in the year, Google released Nexus 7 models though they could only utilize HSPA+ and 3G on AT&T and T-Mobile, not 4G LTE, the gold standard.
This year, it’s looking like Google is making the upgrade to LTE with its new Nexus 7 and thanks to the FCC filing, AT&T and T-Mobile appear to be in the mix. Of note is the fact that the HTC One Google Edition and Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition both arrived with LTE support for AT&T and T-Mobile.
Furthermore, it appears that there is at least a chance that Verizon could get the new Nexus 7 2 as there appears to be support on board. Whether or not Google decides to unleash support for the nation’s largest 4G LTE provider remains uncertain though given the companies past with the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Google take a pass.
Price
Consumers should know that the Nexus 7 2 price unfortunately isn’t set in stone, meaning, there is no guarantee that it will follow in the footsteps of the Nexus 7′s $199 starting price tag. Rumors suggest that the Nexus 7 2 could be price at the same $199.99 price for a Wi-Fi model with other rumors suggesting that it could start as high as $250 or $299.
A $100 price increase seems drastic though it’s entirely possible that we could see a $50 price jump from the original Nexus 7. Because Google has only released one Nexus tablet, it’s hard to say, but consumers should know not to expect anything over $300 which would put it in the same league as the $330 iPad mini, its greatest threat.
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