Google Nexus 8 Release Date Countdown Begins Oct 8: 8 Killer Specs and Features to Expect

There is a chance that Google will pull the veil off its Nexus 8 tablet very soon, specifically on October 8, likely triggering the countdown for the device's release date in the following weeks, a new report said.

According to Phone Arena, a media event that banners the heading Double Exposure is scheduled on the second Wednesday of October and one possibility to watch for on the same occasion is the grand preview of Google's flagship tablet.

It is mostly an HTC function so if the Nexus will be part of the show, it is safe to say that the news serves as another confirmation that the Taiwanese device manufacturer is taking charge of building and delivering the next Nexus tablet to the Android world.

The same report, which Phone Arena sourced from the Portuguese-language tech log site 4GNews, also indicated that Google's Nexus 8 will be marketed as the HTC Nexus 9 that runs, as expected, on stock Android.

Along with the tablet's commercial branding and unveiling date, the report also provided eight killer specs and features that will be unpacked with the Nexus 9.

64-bit dual-core Tegra K1 CPU

The leaked information echoed an earlier claim by NVDIA that its enhanced Tegra K1 chip will find its way to the Nexus 8 or 9. In a recent press release, the chipmaker trumpeted the reengineered processor's, dubbed as Project David, powerful mobile computing prowess and super-efficient use of energy.

3GB of RAM

The same chip will be paired with 3GB of RAM, which Phone Arena said is a bit of a letdown as Tegra K1 chip on the Nexus tab has been long anticipated to get 4GB of RAM, which is the device's way of ushering the 64-bit standard in the Android platform.

9-inch display profile

In the latest news, the slate is said to showcase a 9-inch display panel. It is unclear however, if HTC opted to deploy a full 9-inch screen with the Nexus 9 or 4GNews merely rounded off the 8.9-inch measurement that has been attributed with the device.

Regardless of the actual screen dimension, the device screen is designed to impress in 1080p resolution, said the same report.

Waterproof rear shooter with 16MP sensor

The Nexus 9's camera specs seem to confirm the earlier speculations that Google and HTC are cooking up a high-end gadget to replace the mid-range Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. The rear-facing shooter of the kit is packed a 16MP lens, making it an iPad Air and Mini killer, with water-repelling protection.

Remote camera control

The same shooter, according to Phone Arena, can be controlled remotely from a different mobile device. To do that, users will need to download and install an application though it is unclear if the app will be authored by HTC or Google.

16GB storage with support for 128GB of extra memory

Deviating from the circulating rumours, the finalised Nexus 8 or 9 will have an on-board 16GB of storage space but the too little provision is compensated by the tablet's welcome memory expansion slot that takes in up to 128GB of additional digital room.

Latest Android

Coming as a little surprise, the Nexus 8 or 9 will be one of the first devices to show off the fresh capabilities hard-coded with the upcoming Android version. So coming out of the box, expect the taste the new Android sweet from Google, which reports will be Android 5.0 or Android L/Lemon Meringue Pie/Lion.

Premium price

Billed as the iPad foe, the Nexus 8 is said to be housed in a metal frame and inside its guts are high-end components. Based on that mix, the best bet for the device price range is between $400 and $500.

Having an early October introduction, the likely Nexus 8 or 9 release date is between the latter part of the month or early November 2014, probably pre-empting Apple's rollout plans for the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3.