At its press event last week, Google announced its new Nexus 7 tablet along with release date and specs. In collaboration with its manufacturing partner Asus, Google will release its Nexus 7 tomorrow, July 30, but that’s not all that’s being released. In a report this morning, KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo predicts that Google will drop Asus as its production partner in favor of LG in 2014.
The report, courtesy of 9to5Google, suggests that Google plans on focusing more on display design, something Google has turned to LG for in the past most notably for its Nexus 4 smartphone. Supposedly, “LG Display’s access to both thinner/lighter and IPS panels would ‘narrow’ the design gap between Google and Apple’s devices.”
Google announced its Nexus 7 at a press event last week, along with goodies like Android 4.3 and Chromecast, and will be making them consumer available tomorrow. The Nexus 7’s 7-inch 920 x 1200, 323 pixels per inch, and 1080p display is certainly formidable when pitted against competing tablets, but it’s worth considering that the Nexus 7 boasts the highest DPI of any tablet on the market.
Underneath the hood the tablet will run on a 1.5GHz Snapdragon chipset OS which happens to be 80% faster with 4x GPU frame-rates for gamers. Google also upped the amount of memory by increasing the RAM to 2GB as well as that of the battery to 1 extra hour compared to last year’s 10 hours of browsing and 9 of video. Features include optional 4G LTE (from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile only), HDMI output, NFC capabilities, wireless charging support, Bluetooth 4.0, and the newly unveiled Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system
As for hardware, the new Nexus weighs in at 50 grams lighter, 2mm thinner, and offers a smaller bezel. Equipped alongside this are two cameras, a front-facing 1.2MP shooter and a rear-facing 5MP.
When it comes to cost, the price ranges from 16GB worth $229.99, 32GB for $269.99, or $349.99 with 4G LTE.
It’ll be interesting to see what Google and LG can create in tandem, if the rumor holds true that is. The duo has yet to disappoint with its Nexus 4 handset but the Nexus 7 tablet has been among the favorite of pundits since its premiere. While the two are certainly capable of cooking up something innovative, we likely won’t have but a glimpse until the release date nears. In the meantime, let’s hear from those looking to purchase a current-gen Nexus 7. What are you looking forward to most and why?
