Google Could Release 3G Nexus 7 Tablet In ‘Six Weeks’ – Report

Google could be ready to release a 3G Nexus 7 tablet in the next six weeks, updating the recently launched Android device, according to mobile website MoDaCo.

The Nexus 7 was released in the UK last month in an effort to increase the Android platform’s share of the tablet market, but it shipped without cellular connectivity, leaving users to rely on Wi-Fi networks.

The arrival of a 3G Nexus 7 would  allow it to better compete with the rumoured iPad mini, which many believe is already in production.

3G Nexus 7 Tablet

“I love my Nexus 7, but I really wish there was a 3G version. Well, according to our very well placed insider – my wish is about to be answered!” wrote MoDaCo’s Paul O’Brien. “There’s not a huge amount to say… a 3G version of the Nexus 7 is coming, with no other hardware changes. Asus is currently ramping production in preparation for launch in around 6 weeks, with the exact launch date and territories still to be confirmed.”

The Nexus 7 was first announced at the Google I/O conference in June and hit UK shelves a month later. It is powered by a Tegra3 quad-core processor and the latest version of Android, 4.1 Jelly Bean and is available in both 8GB and 16GB capacities for under £200.

It currently competes against another aggressively-priced tablet, the Amazon Kindle Fire, but offers better specifications, despite costing just £12 more to produce. It is possible that cellular support was not included in the first wave of tablets in order to keep down production costs.

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