Everything we think we know about Google’s next Nexus 10 tablet

Another common hint we’re about to see a replacement model is the original being out of stock on Google Play. That’s not the case yet. The Nexus 10 is still ready to buy, albeit at a slightly lower price. Not only that, but Google is still rolling out the tablet in other countries, with India coming up during November, or thereabouts.

The Nexus 5 may be grabbing all the headlines at the moment, and the Nexus 7 captured our attention back in the summer, but there’s still one other Google device due for a 2013 makeover: the Nexus 10. Google’s large, 10-inch tablet debuted at the end of 2012 and was produced by Samsung. At the time, it went head-to-head with the Apple iPad 3, so we’re keen to see what Google has planned for its successor. What’s that? You want to hear more, too? Great, then lets go through everything we’ve heard about a new Nexus 10.

We have a picture of it (we think)

Yes, possibly. Like the Nexus 5, the Nexus 10 purportedly made a brief appearance in the Google Play Store. It was an “accident” of course, and Google supposedly quickly removed the page, but not before a screenshot was grabbed (see: the header image of this article). However, very few people saw the page itself, so there’s a definite possibility the whole thing is nothing but a hoax. With that in mind, the picture shows the Nexus 10 should have a far thinner bezel than the older model, and according to the specs, its curvy body shell will measure 7.9mm thick.

Powerful specs, Retina-like screen

Here’s what the Google Play webpage leak told us. The Nexus 10 listed had a 10.055-inch (good to see Google being precise!) touchscreen with a 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution, which is essentially identical to the existing model. There’s a strong chance the popular Snapdragon 800 processor will power the tablet, along with 3GB of RAM, if the Play specs are correct. An 8-megapixel camera has also been suggested, along with a large 9500mAh battery. Android 4.4 KitKat will almost certainly come installed on the next Nexus 10 tablet, along with many of the improvements seen in the Nexus 5.
So, how accurate is the Google Play leak? Well, if it really is from Google Play, one would have to imagine it’s correct. The specs aren’t over the top, but we could be surprised. There are concerns that the information isn’t reliable.

November release date

Expectations were high that the Nexus 10 would arrive alongside the Nexus 5, which didn’t happen. If Google wants to capitalize on the holiday and pre-Christmas sales rush, then, it had best get on with announcing it soon. That said, it’s easy to understand why Google didn’t put both it and the Nexus 5 on sale at the same time, as by announcing just one product, it maximized press exposure and lessened the impact on the Google Play Store.

Could the Nexus 8 arrive first?

There could be another reason the Nexus 10 hasn’t been updated yet, and that’s renewed competition from Apple with its new iPad range. As CNet’s Roger Cheng points out, the Nexus 10 never sold in the same number as the iPad or its smaller sister tablet, the Nexus 7. This year, Apple has two new premium tablets, the iPad Air and the iPad Mini with Retina Display, making Google’s job twice as hard. Don’t forget. we’re talking about a premium, $400+ device here, not a $200 Nexus 7.
Google may have a cunning plan to fix this, in the shape of the rumored Nexus 8. Slotting in an iPad Mini challenger at a more competitive price point wouldn’t let Apple automatically win the premium tablet game in 2013, and give buyers something new and exciting to lust after.
However, we must remember the Nexus 10 and the Nexus 8 are both still unofficial (the Nexus 8 rumor is based solely on a nondescript picture too), so all this is speculation at the moment. We’ll have to wait and see if it changes before the end of the year.