Google confirms new 10-inch tablet coming soon

During the launch of its latest 7-inch tablet, the second generation Nexus 7, Google let slip that a new larger Nexus tablet, built by Samsung, is also on the horizon.

During the launch of its latest 7-inch tablet, the second generation Nexus 7, Google let slip that a new larger Nexus tablet, built by Samsung, is also on the horizon.

The fact that a new Nexus 10 tablet will be hitting the shelves roughly one year since the last one shouldn't come as a surprise to consumers -- most people by now are aware that tech companies operate in a 12-month product cycle. However, until Sundar Pichai, Google's head of both Android and Chrome, let the news slip, there was no indication as to who Google would be working with to create the next generation of its flagship slate.

The fact that the company is continuing its partnership with Samsung will therefore be greeted as good news as it is essentially a guarantee that internally at least, the next Nexus will have the best possible specifications.

The original Nexus 10 was a strange device. It came with a wonderfully high resolution screen, albeit one with color balance issues and a Samsung in-house chip that made it one of the fastest devices on the market. Reviewers loved it and called it the Android iPad. However, consumers' reviews were less hyperbolic, noting that it didn't charge very quickly or at all if it was being used for gaming while plugged in.

It was also a bit on the heavy side and some of the connectors, were in strange places. But the biggest problem was that when it launched there were next-to-no apps available for it that were optimized for its screen size, resolution or speed.

Twelve months on, the app situation has improved, but so has the marketplace. Although the Nexus 10 is still a very good device, currently, in terms of speed, performance and elegance, the best Android tablet on the market is the Sony Xperia Tablet Z. However, at $500 it also comes with a premium pricetag. Expect the Nexus 10 to sell for $100 less when it launches in October.