While not lacking in the specs department, the Nexus 7 lineup has previously been known for affordability more than power, but a new entry in the dormant range could compete with the iPad mini 4 and other high-end slates if rumors are to be believed.
Speaking to its 'contacts in China', HuaweiBlog has learned that the next Nexus 7 could have a 7-inch 1440 x 2560 screen, a Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM.
Comparing the specs to the previous Nexus 7 is largely irrelevant, since that model launched several years ago, but suffice to say this would make for a major upgrade in every area. In fact, those are exactly the specs we're seeing on flagship phones like the HTC 10, LG G5 and some versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7, just stretched across a larger screen.
The leak adds that the new Nexus 7 could have a 13MP camera and 64GB of storage – which is handy, since as a Nexus device it's very unlikely to have a microSD card slot.
Pre-production, but coming soon
The information is based on a pre-production model, so there could be changes before launch, but with the slate rumored to be arriving before the end of the year it's unlikely that much will change.
If the leak is accurate and the price is reasonable then the new Nexus 7 could prove a compelling Android tablet – though given that Google seems to be dropping the Nexus name it's more likely to launch as the Pixel 7 or the Pixel 7P.
We might know more very soon, as Google is expected to unveil the new Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones on October 4, so if the new Nexus 7 is arriving this year that would be the obvious time for the slate to be unveiled.
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