Next Gen ASUS-Made Google Nexus 7 Specs Unveiled In FCC Listing
When Google launched its Nexus 10, and it happened to be produced by Samsung, not ASUS, it seemed up in the air whether or not ASUS was going to be out of the picture from that point forward. Well, thanks to a new FCC filing, we can see that ASUS remains safe and sound - it just appears that it's going to be specifically focusing on the Nexus 7.
As you'd expect, the Nexus 7 (2) features a bunch of upgrades that safely distances itself from the original. Perhaps most notable is the upgrade to a 1080p display, although the change in SoC is also significant - ASUS is making the move to Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 PRO. I can't help but wonder if this is due to NVIDIA's slow rollout of Tegra 4, and if so, that means the release date for this new Nexus 7 is very close.
The cameras have also seen a nice upgrade - 5MP in the back (up from 1.2MP), and 1.3MP at the front. Other features and additions include NFC, LTE, Wireless Qi Charging and 2GB of RAM. The battery this time around is a wee bit smaller, at 3950 mAh (from 4325 mAh), but the actual difference in battery life remains to be seen, given the SoC change and also the move to an LED display (from LCD).
Also interesting about this new Nexus 7 is the inclusion of Android's Jelly Bean 4.3 OS, likely making it the first device that will ship to bundle it. Chances remain likely that the device will be upgradable to Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie when it comes out this fall.