Rumor: Google is Preparing its Next-Generation Nexus 7 Tablet
While we’re on the subject of 7-inch tablets, we have some news to share courtesy of BGR. It appears that Google is getting its next-generation Nexus 7 tablet ready, reportedly in time to show off at its Google I/O conference coming up in May.
Some specs on the follow-up to the popular Nexus 7 tablet leaked out back in February. The device is said to pack a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, which is a change-up after the original Nexus 7 used Nvidia’s quad-core Tegra 3. The reason for the switch apparently has to do with the way the Snapdragon better integrates with LTE chipsets. While Nvidia is releasing a quad-core Tegra 4i that comes with LTE, that chipset won’t be ready in time for the next-generation Nexus 7’s production and launch. But hey, the Nexus 7 will have a quad-core processor and LTE capabilities, nonetheless, and that’s a step up from the HSPA+ 3G of the previous N7.
The other revealed spec was on the new Nexus 7’s screen, which will supposedly include a full 1080p display. In terms of pixels per inch, that would put the next N7 at around 315 PPI. For comparison, the iPad with Retina comes in around 264 PPI and the Nexus 10 hits 300 PPI. The iPhone 5, with a 4-inch screen, boasts a PPI count of 325.
The first-gen Nexus 7’s PPI only added up to 216. Long story short — on a 7-inch screen, a 1080p display resolution is going to look absolutely gorgeous. It will be slightly less “Retina” than an iPhone, but still a vast improvement over current tablet displays on the market.
An area that wasn’t mentioned and will be the cause of much speculation is price. Can Google still keep a quad-core processor and add a 1080p display while still keeping the price down to $199? Could Google throw a couple more tricks into the next-generation Nexus 7 — perhaps, a rear-facing camera? And if Google can indeed get the price of that new and improved hardware down to $199, could the previous-generation Nexus 7 see a price drop ($99?), or will that device be discontinued? These are all things we’ll be paying very close attention to over the next few months leading up to Google I/O.