Google Nexus 7 2016 release date, price & features, specs news: Is upcoming tablet a Huawei-built variant with Andromeda OS?

Emmanuelle Espiritu Wednesday, November 16, 2016

An older model of the Nexus 7 tablet is demonstrated during a Google event at Dogpatch Studio in San Francisco, California, July 24, 2013. | Reuters/Beck Diefenbach

Christmas is almost here and the latest rumors about the much anticipated Google Nexus 7 are saying that a December 2016 release may still be possible. But will the holidays really usher in a new Nexus tablet or a Huawei-built 7-inch variant instead?

Google has not yet made any official announcement regarding a possible Nexus 7 release this year, but speculations are rife that a Huawei-built 7-inch tablet will be launched in place of it before the year ends. This rumor came from the Chinese manufacturer's alleged confirmation that it was building a Nexus device that was in time for the holidays.

There have also been talks about Google's recent move of taking down the HTC-made Nexus 9 from its online store, and how this could almost hint on the possibility of a Google Nexus 7 2016 release.

If and when a new Google Nexus 7 does make an appearance this year, it is believed to feature a 7-inch Quad HD pressure sensitive display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and an Adreno 530 GPU. RAM memory is expected to be at 4 GB with an internal storage space of up to 64 GB, which can be increased to 2 TB via microSD. Rear camera is rumored to be at 13 megapixels, battery is at 5,100 mAh, and connectivity is via a USB Type-C port.

A popular rumor about the new Google Nexus 7 is that it may not run on an Android operating system, but will instead feature the Chrome OS and Android merger, Andromeda. This ushers in desktop capabilities, plus more new and innovative features to the upcoming tablet.

The new Google Nexus 7 is also expected to come at an affordable price despite its high-quality features, and could be geared to give Apple's upcoming iPad Pro a good run for its money.

These speculations may either be confirmed or debunked when Google finally releases an official announcement regarding the Nexus 7 2016 tablet, and consumers should take these rumored details with a healthy dose of curiosity and speculation.