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Google to launch a Nexus 8 in April?

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nexus 8

A report claims Google is gearing up to launch a new Nexus tablet, rounding out a line that currently includes the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. Slated for a potential April release, the Nexus 8 will, as its name suggests, feature an 8-inch display. Sources say the decision to develop an 8-inch tablet comes as the result of increased competition in the 7-inch space coupled with second-generation Nexus 7 sales falling short of expectations.

The tablet is said to be under development in cooperation with ASUS, the same company responsible for producing the past two generations of Nexus 7 slates. Google seems to be chasing a value proposition, hoping to offer a bigger tablet experience at a price closer to that of the 7-inch offerings of competitors.

Details are scant on the sort of specs we can expect if Google does indeed launch an 8-inch tablet, and there isn’t much other evidence to support the claims of Digitimes, the origin of the report and hit-or-miss tech speculator. We mused on the idea of a Nexus 8 last fall when an image surfaced on Google’s site showcasing an unknown tablet. While it is unlikely that this was indeed the Nexus 8, it seems like the idea was far from farfetched.

[via Digitimes]

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52 Comments

  1. About time!

  2. Yes, please!

  3. sex aside….really…what is 1 more inch gonna do for ya? :)

    1. Well it’s about 30% more screen area. I’d say it’s a much better size for a tablet since phones are 4.7-5.0″ now. Please don’t get any bigger phones, thanks.

    2. Imagine a pile of money, or gold… what about a diamond? What about in track & field? Swimming? In architecture? Engineering? And more importantly: what about 30% more screen real state?

      1. ignoring the rest and speaking specifically to the screen real estate…

        Google is looking to win a spec war (MOOOAAARRR IS BETTERRRR) or find a niche group to cash in on (MINE IZ BETTUURRR THAN URS) which is getting pretty old. We’re at the point in technology evolution that “experience” is more important than specs.

        1. One more inch is not better because is bigger, it’s better because it adds comfort at looking at it plus more screen size to fit in things… I’m pretty sure they can make a 8″ screen Nexus 8 about the same size and weight of the current Nexus 7 so what’s wrong with that?

  4. 8″, in my opinion, is the best size for a tablet.

    1. Agreed and I would add: 8 to 9″.

  5. I realize it’s a niche feature…but I’d kill for a Nexus tablet with an IR transmitter…oh please oh please oh please….

  6. Hasn’t HTC recently been rumored as being chosen to produce a Nexus tablet.

  7. I guess I’m the only one that wanted a 10″ refresh

    1. Nope, I wanted one too.

    2. Nah, but I’d rather go 8″ if it’s $299.

      1. If they put in a tegra k1, I’m sold. I would prefer a 10 inch but 8 inch might not be so bad

    3. I have the first N10 and use it every day. I like the larger screen for a living room tablet. It’s great for viewing media, playing games, communicating with people (Hangouts) and browsing the web. A new one with more power would be awesome.

    4. I wanted a 10″ refresh too. (With LTE) – I dont like the 7″/8″ tablets

    5. Been desperate for a 10 incher with LTE since August of last year. I’m left wondering if it’s all just a pipe dream now.

  8. I wish they’d do something with their naming process at least with the phones lol. Keep the nexus name but find some other way to number it. What are they gonna do 2 phones from now? They can’t call it the nexus 7,

    1. The nexus 5 is for it’s size, not an incrementing number. In 2 years the Nexus 5 will be called….the Nexus 5.

      1. Ahhh ok, thanks for clearing that up for me.

      2. isn’t that nexus 4 was also 5 inch?

        1. The nexus 4 has a 4.7″ screen.

          1. Yeah seems like a weird hybrid of naming by incremental number and screen size. Obviously it’ll have to change. Or they’ll just dump the Nexus program as rumors indicate, God forbid… I suppose that’s one way to solve the naming problem.

      3. Doubt that captain

  9. Nexus 8 with 8″ display and Snapdragon 800, makes sense.

    Extra inch could work well, they should make the bezel a bit smaller though so it’s comfortable to hold with one hand.

    1. If it is a snapdragon 800 I’ll probably hold off, since I want my next tablet to be more powerful than my N5. The old N7.1 will still have to keep chugging along.

      1. Well you never know, depending when it gets released they could go with Snapdragon 805, that would be a nice surprise.

        1. I know it’s a better processor, but the 805 just seems too incremental, not enough of a leap forward from the 800 to be worth it for me. I thought it was kinda stupid when each Apple device got the same processor with their “upgrade” this past fall.

          1. The GPU is a sizeable increase though. Whatever the case, current mobile processors are plenty fast especially if running stock Android.

  10. I’d be inclined to get this if the price is right. I’ve held off on a tablet (because they are utterly useless outside business applications) thinking the Nexus 7 was just too small every time I used it. 8″ could be perfect.

  11. But HTC confirmed they were going to build a nexus tablet this year

    1. Where’s the sauce for that?

        1. “According to unnamed sources ”
          Garbage.

  12. I like that the Nexus 7 fits in my back pocket. 8inch is just a little to big

    1. What’s important is the overall size of the tablet. The screen the bigger the better period. I’m pretty sure they can make a 8 ” screen tablet the same size and weight of the current nexus 7.

  13. Random: that Cafe in the picture is Caffè Vita in silverlake Los Angeles.

  14. With technology advancing they can and should make bigger screen Tablets in lighter smaller bodies. It’s amazing how much better it is to use a G-PAD Google Edition than the Nexus 7 just because of the 1,3″ screen increase. A nexus 8 is a must.

  15. I wish they’d have done that with version 2 of the N7. Anyways, I’d expect it to come out at the normal time of the year when they drop the N7, which is mid summer.

  16. I’d buy. Apple’s ipad mini is the perfect size for a tablet.

  17. YesYesYes.

    I didn’t upgrade our Nexus 7 (2012) primarily because 7″ is now “small” relative to increasing phone and phablet screen sizes. 8″ is the new handheld tablet sweetspot IMO, and the LG GPad 8.3 w/ GPE almost had me, ‘cept for a few flaws I can’t recall atm (one of which is that I demand inkyblack OLED displays now; not LCD.)

  18. The HTC Flyer was way before it’s time. I hope this report is true… most likely it’s not. One can dream though.

  19. I’d much prefer a new Nexus 10. Come on, Google! Take my money!

  20. I could see myself upgrading my Nexus 7 (2012) for an 8.5 inch tablet (or something close).

  21. I was really looking forward to a Nexus 8 but if Asus is making it I will pass. I’ve been burned twice with Asus tablets and the exceedingly cheap components that they use. Never again.

    1. Yup. My 2012 7’s internal storage is failing to the point that the tablet is unusable. I also got burned by an Asus video card a long time ago. No more Asus products.

  22. 5-6 inch phones have pushed the need for something larger than 7 inches to be useful as a 2nd device. Surprised this has taken so long. 8″ is the sweet spot as far as I’m concerned.

    1. People may think I’m crazy but I’m so excited about the 12-13″ tablets

  23. Nexus 8 called it, if only they could bring an active pen to the table I could sell off this Galaxy Note 8.0

  24. Hope i have the extra cash when this comes around.
    If the keep the resolution the same but beef up the CPU I will be very interested.

  25. Waiting for Nexus 8 but what about camera how many mp does it have??

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