Google Nexus 10 2 Release Date: 3 Reasons 10-Inch Tab Will Skip Android KitKat 4.4 & Go for Chrome OS Instead
Release date of the second Nexus 10 build has been expected since late October 2013 and to date the full-sized Android slate is nowhere in sight.
All the predicted debut date fizzled out, the latest of which is the tab's supposed Cyber Monday appearance on Google Play Store. So far, the supposed iPad Air rival remains scarce.
Many explanations have sprouted on why the device is missing in action. Some believe the launch date will be rescheduled in early 2014. Others contend Google is retiring the big tablet in favour of the mid-sized Nexus 8.
Yet the most plausible is the claim that Google is definitely rolling out the Nexus 10 2 this holiday season but with one major overhaul. It will slide out of the box with no Android sweets, skipping the candy bar KitKat 4.4, and brandish Chrome OS instead.
Why the so sudden shift? Below are the three reasons Google would opt for its more streamlined mobile operating system to power the Nexus 10 on its second coming.
Chrome OS on Nexus 10 means richer browsing experience
In a Gotta Be Mobile report by Kevin Purcell, it was asserted that productivity and privacy using Chrome are more optimised in the platform that presently resides on Chromebooks. It makes sense for Google to extend the same environment to its large-screen Nexus tablet and perhaps transform the device into a full-pledge hybrid.
With Chrome OS on board the Nexus 10 2, the device will be given limitless browsing possibilities with app extensions as provided by Google. That way, the slate will deliver optimal features on its dual functions as a stand-alone tab and a 10-inch notebook when docked with a compatible keyboard.
Chrome OS will make the Nexus 10 more affordable
Compared to the iPad, the Nexus 10 is already cheaper yet the former remains preferred by consumers. Analysts say the iPad ecosystem is simply unbeatable at the moment but maybe when the Nexus 10 tag price is pulled down a little bit more, tablet shoppers will take more than a second look when the next edition comes around.
Purcell believes that with Chrome OS running the Nexus 10 2 show, Google would save up on components cost and still deliver a decent iPad Air alternative. The price point could go down by as much as $100, which for many consumers would make the shopping decision easier.
Nexus 10 2 suits best with most of Chrome OS features
The Chromebook is designed to work best as an always-on device but obviously this feature falls short in the laptop embodiment. If indeed Google would want to push for always-on in a productivity environment then the tech giant should look no further and try it out the tablet form, which of course is the Nexus 10, Purcell said.
And with a few more tweak works, Chrome OS on the Nexus 10 2 release date could prove for Google as one major hit that is waiting to happen.