HTC Making Tegra-Powered Nexus Tablet

Google’s I/O event is set to get underway this week, and that’s where fans of Google, Chrome, and Android expect to see some interesting technology and devices unveiled. One device we won’t be hearing about, according to a new post on AndroidPolice, is the long-rumored 9-inch Nexus tablet. However, that post also claims to have details about the new device, which it more or less confirms as coming from HTC.

The AndroidPolice report says that HTC has been granted manufacturing duties for Google’s next Nexus device, codenamed “Flounder” by Google and “Volantis” (a reference to Game of Thrones)by HTC. According to the post, the Nexus tablet will have an 8.9-inch display with 2048×1440 resolution, a Tegra K1 64-bit CPU, 2 GB of RAM, and models with 16 and 32 GB of internal storage will be made available. Those will be priced at $399 and $499, respectively, confirming earlier rumors we’d gotten that this will be a high-end, high-priced item. Those same rumors pointed to a fall 2014 release, which the AndroidPolice report corroborates.

The new Nexus tablet – which will either be the Nexus 8 because that’s one more than 7, or the Nexus 9 because an 8.9-inch display is basically nine inches (and that’s what HTC is calling it) – will also be wrapped in an aluminum exterior, giving the device as fancy a look as a Nexus has ever had. That may help justify the higher cost, in addition to the powerful internal specs outlined above. And if these reports are true, an aluminum encased Nexus tablet would make sense from HTC, considering the all-metal exterior of the company’s most recent smartphone.

In short, if this report is to be believed, it seems that Google hasn’t given up on Nexus just yet. Maybe this last tablet will finally be the one to hit big for those looking for iPad alternatives. Though at that price…maybe not.

[Source and images: AndroidPolice]