Google I/0 2014 is coming this Wednesday, and it has been rumored that the tech giant may be unveiling its latest mobile devices that may include the Nexus 6, Nexus 8, and Nexus 10 2 (2014).
Naturally, rumors have been ongoing for months now, and as always the situation is fluid. Here is the newest info concerning the leading anticipated devices.
Nexus 8 Tablet
Based on word that Google is nixing the entire Nexus line in favor of developing the Android Silver, it is important to be cautious with speculation of any Nexus releases.
Even so, the rumor mill is still persistent particularly concerning speculation that the Nexus 8 is appearing at Google I/O. Of course, there are other observers who have discounted this theory. Due to the fact the reports generally quote anonymous sources, it is difficult to say whose information is right. Confirmation will have to wait when Google I/0 kicks off on Wednesday.
The latest development comes from Android Police, which reported that Google was working on a mystery 8.9-inch Nexus tablet named Volantis. Reportedly planned for manufacture under HTC, the Volantis is believed to be the first platform for the next-gen Android 5.0 OS software.
Meaning 'flying' in Latin, the Volantis is believed to have an 8.9-inch display with a resolution of 2048x1440 pixels. Powering the device is an Nvidia Logan 64-bit processor with 2GB RAM. Volantis has either 16 or 32 GB internal storage. For picture-taking, the mobile device has an 8-megapixel main camera and a 3-megapixel front-facing camera. This tablet is reportedly built of aluminum zero-gap construction with stereo front-facing speaker. The body measures at 8.91 x 5.98 x 0.31 inches, and weighs in at 418 grams.
At this time, it is not clear if the Volantis is the Nexus 8, or in actuality a whole other different device. Other rumors also say that Nexus 8 is actually powered by 3 GB RAM, instead of the 2GB RAM rumored for the Volantis. In the same report by Android Police, Google has been calling the Volantis the Nexus 9 internally.
There is no word when this device is ready, but it may be ready by late 2014 -- at time favored by many manufacturers of mobile devices.
Nexus 6 Smartphone
More so than the Nexus 8 tablet, the Nexus 6 smartphone is facing a much bleaker future. For awhile, it was said that LG would be manufacturing the device on Google's behalf.
Lately, this rumor came to naught when LG's Communications Director Ken Hong reported that Google has yet to contact LG about manufacturing the Nexus 6. Previously, LG had manufactured the Nexus and Nexus 5 smartphones. This development is the latest is a long line of bad news for the unconfirmed device.
In May, @evleaks posted two tweets that suggested Google may be dropping the Nexus 6, and that the Android Silver would be ready by February 2015.
This means that if the Nexus 6 is not available soon, then it is quite possible that it will not see the light in 2015 as Google may start introducing the first in its long lineup of platforms using Android Silver.
Android Silver is not a specific smartphone line, but rather an entirely new system built upon a broad range of mobile devices created by different manufacturers that may include Samsung, LG, and HTC amongst others. Naturally, Google's own mobile device lineup will be incorporated into this new system.
Nexus 10 2 (2014)
The original Nexus 10 was introduced to consumers back in November 2012, and since then there have been rumors that Google is working on its replacement. Fans dubbed the mythical device as the 'Nexus 10 2', though Google may simply be calling the upcoming handset Nexus 10 (2014).
Originally, Google was thought to be launching the Nexus 10 (2014) by mid-October this year. Since then, the rumor mill has remained quiet about the Nexus 10 (2014).
In an interesting development, Android Origin speculated that 'Nexus 10 2' may end up canceled in favor of the Nexus 8, which has been rumored to be coming to Google I/O. Still, Google has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the Nexus 10 2.
A report by Tech Radar last month speculated that 'Nexus 10 2' display will be at 2560x1600 resolution. The fabled device may be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core chip, and at least 2GB RAM. The 2014 Nexus 10 may ship out with the latest Android version, which is the Android 4.4 KitKat.
