Google Nexus 7 2016 (Pixel 7) Release Date, New Features: Ditches Android For Andromeda

Sep 29, 2016 12:40 AM EDT

The Nexus 7 has seen its fair bit of iterations over the years, as you can tell in our image, but it looks like the latest version of the Nexus 7 2016 is going to be a refresh unlike any other. The Nexus 7 2016 has been speculated to be known as the Pixel 7, and there is a possibility of the Nexus 7 2016 ditching the Android platform for Google’s new Andromeda OS. Andromeda has been touted to be a unifying operating system from Google which could be the future for all Google-powered devices: be they smartphones, tablets or laptops.

The Nexus 7 2016 missed the cut at the Google I/O keynote event in May this year despite all the rumors surrounding it, and then during the Android 7.0 Nougat release last month, there was not a single beep about the Nexus 7 2016, either. Well, this has left the latest version of the Nexus 7 rich pickings for rumor mongers, and it seems that the latest batch of whispers point to it rolling out before the year is over. Perhaps the Nexus 7 2016 could be the hottest ticket item for Christmas this year among techies?

On the other hand, we might even see the Nexus 7 2016 make a debut alongside the new Pixel handsets, as well as Daydream VR and Google Home. No one really knows, so patience will again be the best card to play with this dealth hand. Will Android 7.0 Nougat take a back seat when Google releases Andromeda on the new Nexus 7 and the Pixel laptop next week? We can only keep our fingers crossed for that possibility, since Google is noted to have been testing out Andromeda on the Nexus 9, but 9to5Google claims that Andromeda will not be released to the public where the Nexus 9 is concerned.

@evleaks did mention that tweeted that Google's Nexus 7 will be manufactured by Huawei, and it should be on track to roll out before 2017 comes a-calling. This coming October 4 will see Google host an event that should see the unveiling of the brand new Pixel X and Pixel XL smartphones, in addition to Daydream VR, Google Home and the 4K Chromecast. That is not an exhaustive list, however, so there could be additional surprises in store for the masses. Perhaps the Nexus 7 would be shoved an update there, or could we also see Google’s ‘one more thing....’ point to the Pixel 7 as Google prepares to drop the Nexus brand for a Pixel revolution? Expect Google’s October 4 event to kick off at 9am PDT.

Another reason to believe that the Huawei-manufactured Nexus 7 2016 is set to appear is the fact that Google had already done away with the Nexus 9 from its online store. The two-year old Nexus 9 tablet was manufactured by HTC of Taiwan, and not Huawei, so this change of guard could be a sign.

Speculated hardware specifications for the Nexus 7 2016 include Andromeda (or Nougat), a 7” QHD pressure-sensitive display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor mated to an Adreno 530 GPU, 64GB of internal memory, a microSD memory card slot for expansion purposes, and a 13MP shooter at the back. Let us sit back and wait for October 4 to roll around, shall we?