WSJ: HTC Makes Next Nexus Tablet

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The Wall Street Journal reports Google has found the maker of the next Nexus tablet-- HTC, a company that hasn't worked on a tablet since 2011, following the disappointing sales of the Flyer tablet.

NexusWhy would Google choose a company with a relative lack of tablet experience over the likes of Samsung or LG? According to one WSJ source it is due to Google's want for a broad partner base, thus avoiding the risk of any vendor gaining an Android tablet monopoly.

Another possible reason is fear of the Samsung juggernaut-- the Nexus 10 maker is so big (it sells around 40% of Android-based devices on the market) the contract for the next Nexus tablet would provide it with more leverage for renegotiation of current agreements, cross-licensing deals notwithstanding.

Meanwhile HTC should be eager for the deal, even if it swore off tablets 3 years ago. It also has some experience working with Google, having made the very first Nexus One smartphone back in 2010.

One might also ask when the new Nexus tablet will be available, and what its specifications are. Google and HTC are still to comment on the WSJ story (or provide official details), but details have been uncovered in legal filings from Nvidia, of all things. The company is preparing for a courtroom battle against Qualcomm and Samsung over GPU technology patents, and publicly available documents relevant to the case reveal the Tegra K1 processor powers the "HTC Nexus 9."

The documents also reveal a Q3 2014 launch timeframe.

Either way, with the next Android iteration ("L") revealed last June at Google I/O, a Google flagship device showing it off should hit the market soon enough.

Go HTC Returns to Tablets with Google Nexus Partnership (WSJ.com)

Go Nvidia Legal Filing