If there was any doubt that HTC was prepping a new Google tablet, NVIDIA has now confirmed that the Nexus 9 will debut in the third quarter of this year.
For a good while now, the rumor mill has been buzzing in anticipation of the next-generation Nexus devices from Google. The whole Nexus lineup has proved to be widely popular so far, as it consists of devices with good specs and affordable price tags. Google teams up with various companies to make its Nexus devices, and being part of the Nexus family also means being first in line to receive software updates as soon as a new version of Android comes out.
Recent rumors have indicated that HTC was cooking up a tablet for Google. The slate in question has popped up so far with the "Volantis" and "Flounder" codenames, and has been referred to as the Nexus 8 and the Nexus 9.
NVIDIA, meanwhile, has engaged in litigation recently, accusing Qualcomm and Samsung of infringing on its GPU patents. The folks over at the Bright Side of News have now pointed out that NVIDIA makes some exciting claims in a document.
In discussing its Tegra K1 processor, NVIDIA reveals some exciting details about other products, including the HTC Nexus 9. Not only does the document confirm the tablet's name and the fact that it will come from HTC, but it also reveals that it will pack a powerful Tegra K1 processor under the hood and it will make its debut in the third quarter of this year.
"NVIDIA's new Tegra K1 mobile processor is so powerful it is being used in products other than smartphones and tablets. Acer is using NVIDIA's new Tegra K1 processor in its Chromebook personal computer, and the Tegra K1 is also used in Lenovo's Terminator S9, a 50 inch 4K Smart TV. Exhibit 59. The Tegra K1 also powers Google's new Project Tango Development Kit, a tablet computer that will enable users to track and map 3D environments by making over a quarter million 3D measurements every second, giving mobile devices a human-scale understanding of space and motion. The HTC Nexus 9, expected in the third quarter of 2014, is also expected to use the Tegra K1."
Considering that the third quarter traditionally ends on Sept. 30, the HTC Nexus 9 tablet could make its debut anytime now. On the other hand, HTC has scheduled a press event for early October, when it could unveil the Nexus 9.
Based on leaks and reports so far, the upcoming Nexus 9 is expected to boast an 8.9-inch display with a resolution of 2,048 x 1,440 pixels, an NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor, at least 2GB of RAM, 16GB and 32GB internal storage configurations, and Android L on the software side.
If the HTC Nexus 9 is indeed slated to break cover in the third quarter of this year, more information should become available shortly. We'll keep you up to date as soon as more details surface, so stay tuned.
