As the week ahead shapes up to be one of the biggest in tech history, with the expected unveiling of the iPad Mini and the official release of Windows 8, Google is also preparing some key product announcements for 29 October.
As the tagline for the event states "the playground is open", reports suggest Google will unveil numerous new Nexus products as it tries to compete with the media noise around Apple and Microsoft. Google's event will be held on the same day as Microsoft's scheduled Windows Phone 8 event.
The event will mark the biggest Nexus event held by Google to date, with three simultaneous product announcements.
TheNextWeb reports a source with knowledge of Google's plans has confirmed the search giant will release a 32GB and 3G-enabled Nexus 7 models, a new 10-inch Nexus tablet created in partnership with Samsung, the rumoured LG Nexus 4 smartphone, and the Android 4.2 operating system update.
While Google partnered with Asus earlier this year to bring to market the low-cost tablet, the Nexus 7, the search giant has turned to Samsung for the manufacturing of the first high-end Nexus tablet, said to be called the Nexus 10. The rumour-mill has suggested the new tablet will boast a resolution higher than that of the new iPad (299PPI as opposed to 264PPI) and will be priced in the same range as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1.
While Google partnered with HTC and Samsung on previous Nexus smartphones (the Nexus One and the Galaxy Nexus respectively), this year LG will be given the platform and the much-needed exposure. The Nexus 4 is rumoured to be an altered version of the Optimus G.
The expected specifications include a quad-core SnapDragon processor from Qualcomm, 2GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, 8MP camera and 1 280x768 display.
Holiday demand
While Android 4.2 has been rumoured to be codenamed 'Key Lime Pie', the update is expected to retain the 'Jelly Bean' title which was given to the Android 4.1 update. A key feature of the OS is said to be new tablet-sharing capabilities which will allow for the switching of user profiles on a device.
Going into the holiday season, the upcoming product releases will be critical for all industry players. The Consumer Electronics Association's annual holiday purchase patterns study forecasts that overall holiday spend in the US is set to increase 11% this year, with consumer electronics accounting for close to a third of all expenditure.
The same study also found tablets are the most wanted items on US adults' wish lists, followed by money and peace/happiness.
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