With a mighty quad-core processor, crisp high-def display and a svelte design and form-factor, the Nexus 7 is seen as a remarkable device for its low price point, but far from perfect, consumers looking to spend small on a tablet had skimp on a few perhaps desirable features.
First and foremost, it packs no rear-facing camera, so while Instagram plays really nicely with the Jelly Bean interface, you can’t really take any decent snaps with it. There’s a front-facing shooter for video chat / Skype and whatnot, but it simply doesn’t suffice if you’re not a fan of grainy images.
Similarly, the lack of a cellular option will no doubt have bothered a few. Granted, a 3G / 4G connection is not as important for a slate as it is a smartphone, but unless you’ve managed to secure a decent hotpot or have a flexible tethering package, your Nexus 7 is, for all intents and purposes, a homely device.
That may all be about to change, though, and as well as the prospect of a 32GB model joining the current 8GB and 16GB configurations, it seems as though the Google / ASUS slab may also be offering some description of cellular connection in the near future.
The Taiwanese NCC (Taiwan’s version of the American FCC), revealed data on its system indicating an “ASUS Pad” with WCDMA 3G connectivity. Although this doesn’t prove anything beyond a prototype, it still has to go down as evidence, and in order to compete with the growing number of rivaling tablets to market, a 3G edition of the Nexus 7 would not be a bad move on Google / ASUS’s part.
November is shaping up to be the month of the Nexus, with several purported products in the offing, and with ambitious claims also suggesting a $99 Nexus 7 as hitting retail stores this Fall, a cellular option is likely to go down well with consumers.
Apple’s iPad Mini, as we know, is set to be announced next week, and although nothing can be taken for granted pre-announcement – particularly when it concerns the Cupertino company – it’s strongly suspected there’ll be cellular options as well as Wi-Fi only. The Microsoft Surface – although not a "budget" offering akin to the iPad Mini or Nexus 7 – will certainly offer food for thought, and it’ll be interesting to see Apple’s resolve finally tested in the tablet field.
On 29th October, at the Android event hosted by Google, every rumor and speculation will finally be laid to rest.
(via PocketNow)
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