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Nexus 7 refresh rumored for Google I/O, may boast high-res screen and wireless charging

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Sundar Pichai stands in front of a Google logo at Google I/O 2021.
This story is part of our complete Google I/O coverage

Google Nexus 7 Tablet review back android tabletCheck out our full review of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) review.

It’s less than a week to go before the annual Google I/O developer conference begins, and that means it’s only a short time before we see what exciting new products Google will reveal during the keynote presentation. One possible device is an updated version of the super-popular Nexus 7 tablet, and an analyst has chimed in with a potential spec list.

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KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo has sent out a research note in which he details the changes we can expect on the second-generation Nexus 7. The screen size will apparently stay the same, but the resolution may be increased to 1980 x 1200 pixels, and the overall size of the device may be slimmed down by using a thinner bezel. As for the operating system, rumors are gathering that it’ll be Android 4.3, and not Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.

One of the major features missing from the first Nexus 7 is a rear camera, but with the next version, it looks like Google and Asus will fix this by adding a 5-megapixel camera to the tablet, where it will join the HD forward facing video camera. As with previous rumors, it’s suggested Asus may not fit a Nvidia Tegra processor this time, and will instead select a quad-core Snapdragon chip. Finally, Google may introduce a wireless charging system to the new Nexus 7, using Texas Instruments Qi standard.

Despite the improvement in specification, the analyst doesn’t expect the price to increase, and believes a $200 price tag will be slapped on this model too. Again, Google will be the main source of Nexus 7 tablets for potential buyers, so anyone who wants one will have to be prepared to battle with Google Play to get their order through.

Google I/O begins on May 15, and an updated Nexus 7 is just one of the new pieces of hardware we’re expecting from the show. We’ll be bringing you all the news as it happens.

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Andy Boxall
Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
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