A new Google Nexus 7 is in the works and Huawei is likely to manufacture it. (Photo : Reuters/ Stephen Lam)
The third generation Google Nexus 7 release date is likely set June of 2016, coinciding with the scheduled refresh of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, a new report said. The mobile operating system, however, will not jump from version M to N as earlier reported, the report added, indicating too of a minor software update.
The follow up to Android 6.0 will be known as version 6.1 with the Marshmallow label sticking, according to Android Geek. Citing its unnamed but credible, the blog report also claimed that rollout time for the next Android has been marked as June 2016, which seems in line with the rumors that Google will make a major announcement via its annual I/O Developers Conference a month earlier or May.
Believed to be unpacked on the same event is the upcoming installment of the 7-inch Nexus 7 that rumors say is a device that Google has assigned to Huawei for mass manufacture. And along with the compact tablet reveal, the Internet search giant intends as well to intro the sequel to Marshmallow.
Recent reports have stated that the next sweet Google mobile OS will be named after a sugary treat that starts with the letter N in keeping with the Android naming convention that follows the alphabetical sequence. But as reported by Android Geek, that likely will not be the case and Marshmallow will stay put for a little more time but in upgraded form.
Two key Android feature upgrades have been mentioned in the blog report. One is the "improved permission system," and native support for Split Screen on mobile devices. The latter is the most notable as it hints of Google's preparation for device that is optimized for multiple app window viewing, hence making Android natively friendly for multitasking.
While Split Screen is not exactly new (Samsung has introduce the feature years ago while Apple recently adopted it via the iOS 9-powered iPad Pro), its entry to the pure Android OS seems to signal and confirm the return of Google-made tablets on 2016 following a skip this year.
If indeed Split Screen will become a core Android feature through the arrival of Marshmallow 6.1, the killer function will not only benefit would-be Nexus 7 2016 buyers but also existing owners of the HTC-made Nexus 9 or other Nexus slates that will still be supported by the upcoming OS upgrade.
Or it could be that Google is planning to replace the 9-inch Nexus 9 alongside the Huawei Nexus 7 2016, which as mentioned should be getting a simultaneous release date with Android 6.1 Marshmallow.
