A new Google Nexus 7 is in the works and Huawei is likely to manufacture it. (Photo : Reuters/ Stephen Lam)
Google decided against a Nexus tablet release this 2015 but the tech giant appears all set to refresh the slate that runs on pure Android with a 7-inch device that will be called the Nexus 7 2016. The anointed supplier is Nexus 6P maker Huawei, a new report said.
The Nexus 7 2016 would be the latest in the string of vanilla Android tablets that Google had previously produced. The Nexus maker partnered with Samsung for the 10-inch Nexus 10 and tapped Asus for the earlier Nexus 7 versions that came out in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, Google worked with HTC in coming up with the 8.9-inch Nexus 9.
Why Google opted out of the tablet competition this year is mystery but according to Phone Radar, the Internet search giant is gearing up for a grand return with the smaller Nexus 7 2016. The same report indicated that for the Nexus 7 tablet project, LG, which produced the Nexus 4, 5 and 5X, and Huawei were in consideration but the latter proved the luckier.
Phone Radar skipped on the details though the blog report predicted that Huawei's take on the Nexus 7 next year will produce a premium tablet with "top of the line specifications." It is likely too that the 2016 version of the Nexus 7 will be wrapped in the same metallic and glass casing seen in the Nexus 6P.
In a related report, G4Games suggested that Huawei could use any of the MediaPad M2 and X2, released earlier this year, as suitable templates for the Nexus 7 next year. The tablets run on 8-core Kirin 930 processing chip with up to 3GB of RAM. The M2 boasts of an 8-inch screen profile while the X2 is more compact at 7-inch.
Phone Radar claimed on its report that 2016 Nexus 7 project has been awarded to Huawei and is already in the development stage. Release date of the device is likely set third quarter of 2016 and will possibly debut with the new Nexus smartphone, which also means that both devices will be powered by Google's follow up to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
