Google retires Nexus 7 and 10 to make way for Nexus 9

The arrival of the latest Nexus devices is changing the face of Google’s line-up. On the Play Store, the Nexus 7 and 10 tablets have disappeared just as the Nexus 9 debuted. The same fate likely awaits the Nexus 5 smartphone on October 29, when the Nexus 6 becomes available for pre-order. The latest generation of Nexus tablets is squeezing out the previous one. Now available for pre-order at prices ranging from $399 (WiFi, 16GB version) to $569 (4G, 32GB), the new Nexus 9 has definitively replaced the Nexus 7 and 10 on the Play Store. Created in partnership with Asus and launched in 2012, the Nexus 7 was the very first tablet in Google’s Nexus line. The Nexus 10, introduced in the same year, was made in collaboration with Samsung. For the time being, the two tablets are still available through other retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy. Now the only Nexus tablet in Google’s official product catalog, the 9 is a nine-inch tablet (2,048 x 1,536 pixels) developed in partnership with HTC. Google is marketing the Nexus 9 with a special keyboard case that attaches using magnets, transforming the device into a miniature notebook. In terms of smartphones, the Nexus 6 is due to go up for pre-order on the Play Store on October 29. Developed with Motorola, the device is a high-end six-inch phablet with a record screen resolution of 493ppi (1440x2560 pixels) and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor clocked at 2.7GHz. The device comes in 32GB and 64GB versions and boasts a 13MP camera with optical image stabilization. Thanks to its high-capacity 3,220mAh battery and Turbo Charger charging stand, the Nexus 6 can operate for close to six hours after recharging for just 15 minutes, according to Google. The Nexus 5 is currently still available on the Play Store, although it could likely disappear on October 29. Of course, Google might opt instead to diversify its offer and maintain the five-inch mid-range smartphone alongside its new premium phablet. The Nexus 6 and 9 are the first devices with the latest version of the Android operating system, Lollipop (5.0). AFP