Nexus 9 rumors: Google’s next Nexus may be a lot more expensive than we thought

Rumors are gathering about an HTC tablet which could end up being the Nexus 9. Using code names such as Volantis, Flounder, and T1, this would be a surprise return to the tablet market for HTC. We’re hoping it’ll be inspired to bring the cool style it uses on the One M8 smartphone to a much bigger device, so here’s what we’ve been hearing about the exciting next Nexus tablet.

The Nexus 9 may be expensive

Up until now, Google’s Nexus devices have always offered great specs for a low price. Based on leaked pricing information obtained by Caschy’s Blog from German retailer Saturn, it looks as though the Nexus 9 will cost significantly more than its predecessors. The next Nexus tablet is listed with a price tag of 400 euro —  and that’s just for the most basic, 16GB Wi-Fi-only model. The 32GB Nexus 9 will cost 489 euro and if you want the 32GB version with 4G LTE onboard, you’ll have to pay 569 euro. All of Google’s earlier Nexus tablets were much cheaper, with the Nexus 7 2014 edition starting at $230 and topping out at $350.

What will it look like?

An early mockup based on a product concept image was leaked early in 2014, and you can see it at the top of this page. However, an @evleaks report, subsequently retracted, said these early renders were “fake.” A close-up shot of the tablet came with another codename, the less complimentary Flounder – which has also been spotted in relation to future Nexus hardware, just to confuse us even more – but the image’s authenticity has since also been questioned.
At the beginning of October, another picture supposedly showing the Nexus 9 – under HTC’s T1 codename – was leaked on Twitter by @upleaks. The picture shows a tablet-sized device with HTC and Nexus branding, a camera lens with a flash, and a matte-style finish similar to the Nexus 5 smartphone. A second tweet says the body will be plastic, rather than metal. Keep in mind that the authenticity of all images leaked so far has been called into question, and there’s no guarantee this one will be any different. Particularly because it bears a striking resemblance to the concept shot above.

HTC engineers working closely with Google on Nexus 9

According to a Wall Street Journal report, HTC engineers have been working closely with Google on the Nexus 9 project, with teams routinely flying from Taiwan to Google’s San Francisco headquarters for several months. Neither firms have commented on the rumors, but the news certainly fits in with what we’ve been hearing recently.
Before this, a set of court documents revealed in an ongoing legal battle between Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Samsung unofficially confirmed the Nexus 9 tablet’s existence. The documentation stated the tablet will be built by HTC, and should use Nvidia’s Tegra K1 processor. It also suggested the slate will launch before the end of September, but the wording did suggest the date wasn’t final.
According to an anonymous tip received by tech site MoDaCo.com’s founder, the Nexus 9 will eventually launch on October 16. Depending on whether this is a release date or an announcement date, the Nexus 9 may just squeeze in before the deadline set down in Nvidia’s documentation. There’s no official confirmation yet, and no way to verify if it’s even slightly accurate, but if an end of September/early October event is being planned, we’re sure to hear something soon. The Nexus 9 should bring with it the public version of Android L, which is expected before the end of the year.

Is it going to be a Nexus tablet?

HTC has been linked to the Nexus 9 project for a while. Early on, rumors linked the Volantis tablet with the Nexus 8 project, which may have morphed into the Nexus 9. While the Nexus 7 was built by ASUS and the Nexus 10 by Samsung, this would be the first return of an HTC device to the Nexus line since the Nexus One in 2010.
This would also be the first larger tablet update from Google since the Nexus 10 in 2012, and may come alongside a refresh of the larger tablet later this year. Rumors have switched occasionally, suggesting the Volantis will be released as an HTC-branded tablet, but thanks to Nvidia’s leak, this doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Oh, and for those wondering, Volantis is latin for “flying.”

The Volantis should get a Tegra K1 processor

In early August, an HTC device code-named “0P8210000,” appeared on the Korean communications regulator site. The device was believed to be the Volantis tablet, which should end up having the official title of the Nexus 9.

The leaker referred to the tablet as the HTC Nexus 9, but said that it is also known as HTC T1. The tablet will supposedly feature a MDM9x25 modem on the LTE version, 4GB of RAM, NFC, GPS, and Android L. The Nexus 9 will also supposedly come with an 8-megapixel back camera and a 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera. However, arguably the most impressive spec listed was the 64-bit Tegra K1 processor, a feature subsequently confirmed by Nvidia. The 64-bit chip made its debut inside the Xiaomi MiPad tablet back in May, and early benchmark figures show it trumping the most recent Snapdragon chips in almost every category.

An 8.9-inch screen could prove popular

While most sources seem to agree on the 8.9-inch screen size, there are differing reports about the resolution. The Android Police report says the display will have a 2048 x 1440 pixel resolution, which comes out to 281 pixels per inch (PPI.) It isn’t as pixel-rich as the iPad Air, but it’s close.
A second Volantis leak said the tablet is being tested with a 1680 x 1050 pixel resolution, but will hit retail stores with an impressive 2560 x 1600 pixel count. That’s the same as Samsung’s Galaxy S range, some of the Galaxy Pro models, and coincidentally, the Samsung-built Nexus 10 tablet too. However, the source has been outed as a fake, leaving us to take these specs as fantasy.
With no new Nexus hardware on show at Google I/O 2014, and the future of the Nexus line up in the air ever since we heard about Android Silver, there has always been doubt over the Nexus 9’s release. The good news is it seems the project is almost ready for its public debut after all.