HTC was rumoured to have won a bid to make the next Google Nexus tablet, and it looks like development on the 8.9-inch Nexus 9 – codenamed Volantis – is well under way, featuring plenty of premium hardware in a body that oddly looks like an enlarged Nexus 5.
Android Police has published detailed information on HTC’s Nexus tablet, with plenty of in-depth information about the device, from hardware all the way to its pricing. The Volantis will feature an NVIDIA Tegra K1 chipset (similar to the Xiaomi Mi Pad), 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of internal storage, and an 8.9-inch display with a resolution of 2048 x 1440 – not exactly a 4:3 aspect ratio as the internal documents claim it to be, since a 4:3 aspect ratio resolution should be 2048 x 1536 like the iPad Mini with Retina Display, but it may be that this resolution does not take into account the on-screen navigation buttons.
Besides that, the Volantis tablet is said to feature an 8MP OIS rear camera, while a large 3MP sensor sits above the display. The device itself will be made from aluminium with a “zero-gap construction” and as is HTC’s wont, will feature dual front-facing stereo speakers. The Nexus 9 will also be available with LTE connectivity, while measuring just 79mm thick. The non-LTE variant will weigh 418g, while the LTE adds a further 9g.
As for pricing, the HTC Nexus tablet will start from $399 for the 16GB variant, and $499 for the 32GB one. The LTE variant will naturally cost more, with Android Police speculating that it may be in the $600 range. These prices are a marked departure from previous Nexus tablets, which was priced a lot cheaper – and had less powerful hardware.
With Google’s I/O developer conference happening this week, it is unlikely that this HTC tablet will be ready for an unveiling at that time. The HTC Volantis tablet is said to be ready for a Q1 release next year, but with rumours that the Nexus line being cancelled in favour of the new Android Silver program, this dream HTC tablet could still not be a reality.
(Source: Android Police)
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