Don't write off the Nexus 7 2016 just yet as new reports emerge that Google will still release the rumored 7-inch tablet running on Android 7.1 Nougat. The device is supposedly built by Huawei and set to unbox will a beta version of Andromeda OS.
The latter, according to 9to5Google, is the upcoming Google hybrid operating system that is based on Android and Chrome OS. "It's possible that the Huawei tablet - as a dev device - could actually have a version of Android out of the box, but have a "developer preview" version of Andromeda available to those who want to develop for it," the report added.
While Nexus 7 (or referred to as Pixel 7 in some reports) is far from confirmed, 9to5Google said that Andromeda is a done deal and is being tested on the HTC-made Nexus 9. But the discontinued tablet will not be upgraded to Andromeda, the reason "because of hardware constraints and availability."
What's certain is that another device, a hybrid laptop, will be powered by Andromeda that the report said will be known as Pixel 3. Earlier reports indicated that Pixel 3 is currently codenamed as Bison and it will be Google's answer to Apple's MacBook and Microsoft's Surface 2-in-1s.
But it is the 7-inch Nexus tablet that will get Andromeda first, at least in the form mentioned above, and 9to5Google said that the device will hit the market before the end of 2016. It remains unclear if the tablet will still carry the Nexus label but the report indicated that Google still calls the device a Nexus.
As for the specifications, the most solid details have been provided by gadget leaker Evan Blass aka @evleaks. Blass claimed in recent tweets that Huawei remains on track to assemble the next Nexus slate, which will sport a compact build, specifically with a 7-inch display profile.
There was no mention on the exact processing chip that will mighty up the device but speculations are rife that it will be Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820, which will be supported by 4GB of RAM. On the storage department, rumors have it that 32GB will be the basic configuration and will increase by up to 128GB with the likelihood of having a microSD slot.
It should be noted, however, that memory expansion is not a Google hardware signature so the feature add-on remains iffy at best.
Google is hosting an event on October 4 and the occasion is believed to be used for the Pixel (formerly Nexus) smartphones, which likely will include the Nexus 7 2016 or Pixel 7 tablet. If that will be the case, the device release date could happen between October and November 2016.