Google will supposedly launch a new 7-inch slate later this year. However, instead of it being a Nexus 7 refresh, speculations suggest that it will be rebranded as the Pixel 7.
While Google has yet to confirm the launch, noted tipster Evan Blass has already let it slip that the tech maker has partnered with Huawei for a new, 7-inch tablet. Blass has not revealed that the new slate will be a follow-up to the successful Nexus 7 slate, instead, calling it only as "Google's Huawei-built 7-inch tablet." This may be a hint that, instead of a 2016 Nexus 7 edition, Google will be introducing the device as part of the Pixel lineup.
In addition, Blass has mentioned that the new slate will feature 4 GB of RAM, so it is expected that the new tablet will be a flagship device. This is not how Google has positioned the Nexus 7 lineup. When the first Nexus 7 was released in 2012, it was launched as an above-average device — with decent specs and design — but with a budget-friendly price tag. Should Google rebrand the 2016 edition as the Pixel 7, then its flagship specs will likely include an above-average processor — likely the Snapdragon 625 — or even a flagship Snapdragon 820 chipset. The display itself is also rumored to feature 2560 x 1440 resolution, and base storage onboard is 64 GB.
Meanwhile, though the new slate is pegged to have flagship specs and features, the price range may still remain budget-friendly, given that Huawei is its manufacturer. The China-based tech maker is known to provide competitive prices for its above-average devices.
However, even with a competitive price tag, it is likely that Google will launch the new slate as Pixel 7 and not part of the Nexus lineup. The tech giant has already done it with its upcoming smartphone flagships. Previously dubbed as the 2016 editions of the Nexus lineups, the upcoming flagships are now rumored to launch as the Pixel and Pixel XL iterations.
