While Google is heavily rumored to be releasing a 32GB Nexus 7 and quite possibly $99 Nexus 7 as well, it now appears that those may be joined by a 3G version of the Nexus 7 as well.
According to a filing found on the Taiwanese version of the FCC, called the NCC, a device called the “ASUS Pad” with WCDMA 3G connectivity was approved. The device passed through the NCC with a model number ME370TG, which, is very similar to the original Nexus 7 tablet model number of ME370T.
So while it’s not 100 percent certain that this ASUS Pad is a Nexus 7, it seems to be a possibility.
This is not the first time that a rumor concerning a 3G-enabled Nexus 7 has popped up but this is certainly the first time we’ve seen possible evidence pointing to a launch in the near future.
Thus far though, the most credible Neuxs 7 rumor appears to be a 32GB model that will be launching in time for the holidays. It will likely replace the 16GB Nexus 7 at its $249 price point though its unclear what will happen to the 16GB model.
Additionally, we’ve heard rumors of a $99 Nexus 7 that will apparently shun a quad-core processor in favor of a single-core 800 Mhz processor to keep the cost down.
Google has an Android event scheduled for October 29th and it could be that that date will be the date where Google announces not only the new Nexus smartphone but also some updates to the Nexus 7 as well, namely, this trio of updates.
The Nexus 7 first launched in July in two forms, 8GB and 16GB, and it was the first device to run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google’s latest version of its mobile operating system. And while it emerged as the dominant 7-inch tablet over the past few months, it’s about to face some serious competition in the form of an iPad Mini that is rumored to be arriving on October 23rd.
The iPad Mini is also rumored to feature cellular connectivity though it may end up supporting 4G LTE networks and not 3G. The Kindle Fire HD will come in LTE form for AT&T though it’s unclear when that will arrive.