Google’s Nexus 7 might not be selling gangbusters, but it’s a compelling option for Android enthusiasts and general consumers alike. At $230, it continues the Nexus tradition of offering compelling hardware and software for a price that won’t make your wallet want to kill you while you sleep. If a recent report is any indication, there may be another option on the horizon.
According to “sources from the upstream supply chain,” DigiTimes reports that HTC is manufacturing an 8-inch Nexus tablet that will be released in the third quarter, putting the Nexus 8’s release sometime between July and September. The sources said that Google contacted HTC to partner up with the Taiwanese company before the original Nexus 7’s release, but HTC was busy with its smartphone business at the time.
The report indicates that Google opted for HTC since the search giant wants to adopt a new design. Asus didn’t want to play ball, since it’s more interested in building out its product portfolio under the Asus banner rather than Google’s.
According to the report, Google won’t be very aggressive when comes to selling the Nexus 8. The sources said that, because previous versions accomplished their job of increasing Android’s penetration in the tablet market, Google won’t push the Nexus 8 as much as it did the previous iterations. Even so, Android enthusiasts will surely be excited to purchase the follow-up to the Nexus 7.
Rumors of the Nexus 8 started to float around when a picture of a tablet popped up on the official Android Apps and Entertainment promo page. Rumors reignited earlier this year, when it was reported that the Nexus 8 would not be announced at this year’s Google I/O, which somewhat lines up with DigiTimes’ report. Even so, DigiTimes is known for being hit-and-miss with reports, so to take this latest report with a grain of salt would be wise.
