Report: HTC planning 9-inch Nexus tablet with 64-bit Tegra processor for late 2014

BY GreenBot Staff

Published 22 Jun 2014

If a report from Android lice is to be believed ( they’re very confident in their information), HTC is planning to build a new Nexus tablet for , set to be released in the 4th quarter of this year. It has a more premium look feel than most Nexus tablets, but most interestingly, it’s one of the first products we’ve heard of to make use of the 64-bit version of Nvidia’s Tegra K1 processor.

According to Android lice’s information, the tablet’s specs read as follows:

  • 8.9″ Display at 2048×1440 (281ppi)
  • NVIDIA gan 64-bit processor (Tegra K1)
  • 2GB RAM
  • 16/32GB internal storage
  • 8MOIS main camera, 3Mfront facing camera
  • uminum zero-gap construction
  • Stereo front-facing speakers
  • 8.91″x5.98″x0.31″ body (that’s 22.63×15.19×0.79cm)
  • 418g (or 427g with E) (that’s 14.74/15.1 ounces)

That’s slightly slimmer than a Nexus 7, but heavier (aluminum construction, a larger size, will do that for you). The weight seems roughly comparable to an id Air.

It’s interesting to see the Nexus br going for premium construction look–feel, but I can think of no better choice than HTC to pull that off. The company’s excellent “boomsound” front-facing stereo speakers would be particularly welcome in a large-ish tablet.

Android lice has heard that the price point target is around $400 for the 16GB version, $500 for the 32GB one, marking another change from the Nexus line—this would not be a low-cost leader.

The most interesting part of the supposed specs list is the inclusion of Nvidia’s Tegra K1 processor, specifically the model that uses a dual-core 64-bit C of Nvidia’s own design. To date, all the Tegra K1 products have included the version with a quad-core 32-bit processor using ARM Coretex A15 cores. This has major implications for Android, as current builds of the OS are not really made to make use of the ARMv8 instructions or 64-bit applications. If this is going to be a Nexus tablet, with a 64-bit ARMv8-toting chip, that means a major 64-bit Android overhaul is likely coming, too.