RUMOUR: Nexus 7 Successor Landing in July

Google's Nexus 7 tablet made quite a splash when it landed last year, selling at least 5 million units, due to its low price and relatively decent specifications. However, due to its slightly outdated components, it's going to face a refresh, just about 1 year after its launch.

The exterior will face minimal changes, mainly a smaller bezel and an upgraded screen resolution. The internal components will be swapped around, with the SoC (System on Chip) being changed from the Tegra 3 to a new Qualcomm Snapdragon model, the rationale being reduced power consumption. Similarly to the original Nexus 7, the newer model will be made by ASUS.

At this time, pricing is expected to be starting at either $149 or $199, to meet Google's target of 8 million sold by the end of 2013. However, if it is in fact priced at $149, it would either force the previous Nexus 7 down to $99, which seems unlikely, or make it redundant to sell. As such, a price point of $199 seems more likely, with the first-generation residing at a $149 price target.

Source: ZDNet