Google's next I/O summit will take place later this May, and it's expected that Google will announce big plans for the future of the Nexus brand during the event.
According to reliable industry analyst Mingchi Kuo from KGI Securities, we can expect to see a major new announcement at the Google I/O summit detailing the new Nexus 7, including a list of specs and possible suppliers for each component of the device. Kuo predicts that the Nexus 7 could launch on the market as early as June or July.
The Nexus 7 will likely have a 7-inch touch display and come stock with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. In terms of price point, Kuo predicts that the Nexus 7 will come priced at $199, with Google actually taking a $5-10 loss per unit sold due to the expensive price of the parts inside.
"We think the new Nexus 7 will come with the following major spec upgrades: Qualcomm APQ 8064 processor; narrow bezel LTPS 7-inch high-resolution panel (1,920×1,200); 5MP AF rear camera lens; and wireless charging," says Kuo. "We also think it will be much lighter and thinner than the previous version."
That "lighter and thinner" prediction translates into a thinness of 7.5-8.5 mm, making it potentially on par in both size and weight when compared to Apple's iPad Mini, which is 7.2 mm in depth.
Even though the $199 price point for the new Nexus 7 is reasonable, especially considering the advancements in hardware the device will potentially contain, Kuo believes the brand's growth will be limited by the popularity of Apple's products, along with the expected launch of the iPad Mini 2 sometime later in 2013.
"We are positive on Nexus 7's reception ahead of the iPad mini 2 launch given that the specs have been upgraded but the price has not been increased. However, tablet PC competition has become much fiercer this year, so we reckon new Nexus 7 year-on-year shipments growth will be limited," Kuo adds.
Google I/O 2013 will take place from Wednesday, May 15 to Friday, May 17. We'll likely learn how accurate Kuo's latest predictions have been sometime next week.
