The ASUS-made Nexus 7 tablet for Google has been one of the biggest success stories for the company. Google is now prepping to launch the second-gen variant of the 7-inch tablet soon and the Nexus 7 2 will allegedly start shipping at the end of Q2 2013 and hit the shelves in July (as we reported recently).
The latest information comes courtesy of DigiTimes, who cites reliable sources from the supply chain.
According to DigiTimes "Co-created by Google and Asustek Computer, the second-generation Nexus 7 will start shipping the end of the second quarter and is expected to hit market shelves in the third quarter, according to supply-chain sources."
What's more, the second-gen Nexus 7 will "feature a 7-inch low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) panel, produced mainly by AU Optronics (AUO)." AUO is the same company which has purportedly landed the orders for yet another small tablet, Apple's iPad mini 2.
The latest piece of information re-confirms speculations that the second-gen Nexus 7 will make its way to consumers in July this year. Two days ago, yet another DigiTimes report had claimed that Elan Microelectronics has started shipping touchscreen controller ICs for the next Nexus 7 iteration.
"Elan Microelectronics reportedly has begun shipping touchscreen controller ICs for Google's new Nexus 7 tablets, which will help ramp up the revenues of the Taiwan-based IC design house in May and June, according to industry sources," noted another DigiTimes report.
Apparently, nearly 1 million Nexus 7 2 tablets will be shipped before the end May and DigiTimes' sources hint that the number will touch 8 million before year end.
"Earlier reports indicated that about one million units of the second-generation Nexus 7 will be shipped in May. Shipments will total around eight million units in all of 2013, the reports quoted sources from the upstream supply chain as saying," per DigiTimes.
Currently, a specific release date for the Nexus 7 2 is not known. However, if the tablet makes its way to consumers in July as suggested, the iPad mini 2 will have a tough fight on its hands.
