Posted on 18 Jun 2013 at 09:55, by Tom Morgan
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A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing uncovered by TechTastic appears to show a new Asus tablet running the currently unreleased Android version 4.3, suggesting an upgrade to the current Nexus 7.
The filing, which lists the Asus K008/K009 as Wi-Fi only and GSM-ready variants of the same tablet, suggests a 7in tablet with either a 1080p or 1,920×1,200 resolution display, making it a significant upgrade over the existing Nexus 7. A Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro and an Adreno 320 GPU were also listed, along with 32GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, a 1.3-megapixel front webcam and 5-megapixel rear camera.
Both tablets have already passed through the Bluetooth SIG, which certifies products to use Bluetooth connectivity, but the latest specifications also mention NFC, dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, LTE and potentially support for the Qi wireless charging standard.
If these specifications prove accurate, it’s possible that Asus and/or Google has designed the new tablet to take on Apple’s iPad Mini directly, rather than replace the distinctly budget-oriented Nexus 7. With rumours from Android Authority also mentioning a thinner screen bezel and casing just 8mm thick, it seemingly has real potential to challenge Apple’s high-end compact tablet.
Neither Google or Asus have confirmed the legitimacy of the FCC filings, but we shouldn’t have long to wait to prove their accuracy – the new Nexus 7 is expected to be announced in July.