Predicting Google’s Android Announcements
Last week, The Next Web posted an in-depth story on what we believed would be unveiled at Google’s Android event, scheduled for Monday. We had received information from within Google itself.
While the event was cancelled, the announcements still went out as planned.
This is how we fared.
Confirming leaks from various inventory systems and advertisements in both the US and the UK, Google will release a 32GB variant of the Nexus 7. However, our source also tells us that there will be a second 32GB variant that will offer HSPA+ (3G) support, allowing users to take the tablet on their travels.
Google has also been working with Samsung to launch a 10-inch tablet, confirming leaks which suggested Google had teamed up with the Korean manufacturer for another device. Our source tells us that internally the tablet goes under the name “Codename Manta”, runs Google’s new Android 4.2 operating system (previously referred to as Key Lime Pie, but is set to retain the Jelly Bean branding), and will offer a 2560×1600 pixel (16:10) resolution, which we believe will offer around 300 pixels per inch (PPI) compared to the new iPad’s 264 PPI.
Google will launch the LG Nexus 4, featuring a quad-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon processor, 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 display, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera (and 1.3-megapixel front-facing snapper) and a 2100mAh battery.
The LG Nexus 4 will also be powered by Google’s new Android 4.2 software.
Speaking of the OS itself, we have some details on that too. It has been confirmed that as part of Android 4.2, Google will introduce ‘Content in the center,’ which will allow users to access Play Store content from a widget and ‘Tablet Sharing’ which will suit families and enterprise users, providing them with a simple and easy to switch between several users on a tablet, each with their own email and apps.
Think Windows user switching, but now on Android.
Our source says that Android 4.2 will compete with Apple’s iOS 6, in that the panoramic camera settings will be updated to support both horizontal and vertical movement by default.