We heard that Google was planning to launch the Nexus 10 2nd gen last October so it could compete with the iPad. We expected it on Black Friday, then Cyber Monday, but there was no sign.
Then we heard about the LG V510, which some thought could have been the Nexus 10 2, and which was supposed to be home for Christmas. This device turned out to be the 8.3” LG G Pad. Some people now think that Google might not bring out the Nexus 10 2 at all.
One of the things about the Nexus tablet was that it was affordable while being of quality; this is something that we saw with the release of the Nexus 4, 5 and 7.
Nexus tablets are unique in that they tend to offer high quality builds while being affordable – we saw this with the Nexus 4, 5 and 7. When it got to the Nexus 10, though, things got difficult for Google. The company couldn’t source high-end components for a full-sized tablet and keep a low price. Google was unwilling to lose any quality, so the build has stalled.
Google might be waiting to find a manufacturer that can deliver quality at a low price before it starts work on the Nexus 10. LG, Asus and Samsung haven’t been able to fill these shoes.
The iPad sold in the millions when it was launched, and the Nexus 10 only sold 600,000 units in Q2. This tablet could be seen as a flop, so Google might not build the follow-up until it’s had a serious think.
To be a success, the Google Nexus 10 2 would need a quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip, 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 graphics engine. Then, and only then, would it have a chance against the iPad Air.
