Nexus 9 release date, news and rumors

Google has done well with its Nexus line, particularly the PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL2hvc3RpbmdraXRhLmNvbQ0iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vZm9sbG93Ij5OZXh1cyA0IDwvYT4=and Nexus 5, which delivered high end smartphone specs on a budget and both versions of the Nexus 7, which did the same for slates. So it's no surprise that the company is seemingly looking at adding another device into the mix, specifically the Nexus 9.

Numerous mentions of the device, which may be closer to 9 inches than 8, have popped up over the last few months, alternately referring to it as the Nexus 8, Nexus 9 and Volantis, so it's starting to look like a safe bet that it's coming in some form.

That still leaves a lot of questions unanswered, such as when it's arriving, how much it will cost and what its specs will be. But as more news and rumors roll in we're picking them apart and putting them all in one place (here) so you can learn everything there is to know about the Nexus 9 before it's announced.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? A new tablet set to fill the gap between the Nexus 7 and the Nexus 10
• When is it out? Possibly October 8, failing that maybe November
• What will it cost? Around £275 / $464 / AU$498 is our best guess

Nexus 9 release date and price

We were hoping that the Nexus 9 might show up at Google I/O, but, er, it didn't. HTC is believed to be behind the tablet, but either way, it will probably be Google's event, not HTC's.

Evidence is mounting that HTC will indeed by the manufacturer of the Nexus 9. At the beginning of September court documents pertaining to Nvidia's patent lawsuit again Qualcomm and Samsung claimed that HTC is working on the Nexus 9 tablet, which would be running on Nvidia's Tegra K1 processor.

A source apparently close to the Nexus 9 development also contacted the Wall Street Journal to confirm that HTC would be the manufacturer of the new Nexus device.

The court documents also suggested that the Nexus 9 would be launched sometime in the third quarter of 2014. HTC is gearing up for a media event on October 8 which just about misses the third quarter, though not by much.

However, even if HTC is the manufacturer of the Nexus 9, it is more likely to be announced at a Google event, as in previous years.

No other possible release dates have been put forward but perhaps we'll see it alongside the Nexus 6, which itself is rumored for an October or November debut. A PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ob3N0aW5na2l0YS5jb20NIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub2ZvbGxvdyI+dGFibGV0IDwvYT4=codenamed the HTC 'Flounder' has made its way through Wi-Fi certification, and has been listed with different SKUs (unique model identifiers) that mean it will probably come in both Wi-Fi and 4G flavors as usual.

We're guessing on the price too, but it's likely to fall somewhere between the Nexus 7 (£199 / $336 / AU$360) and the Nexus 10 (£319 / $538 / AU$578), so maybe it will be around £275 / $464 / AU$498.

Nexus 9 display

Originally dubbed the Nexus 8, recent rumours suggest a screen size of up to 8.9 inches, along with a new moniker that's more suited to the size of the display; the Nexus 9.

Initial rumors pointed to an LG built device with an 8.3-inch 1920 x 1200 screen. However more recent ones point to an 8.9-inch slate, while LG is seemingly out of the picture, with HTC being the likely maker.

That 8.9-inch size has popped up more than once while the idea of an 8.3-inch slate seems to have disappeared into the ether, so 8.9 inches is looking likely. 8.9 inches might also make more sense, as 8.3 inches isn't drastically bigger than the Nexus 7. Now, 8.9 inches could encroach on the Nexus 10 but that's been MIA for a while.

The first resolution rumors for the 8.9-inch size pointed to 2048 x 1440, however @evleaks, who's shared a number of details on the device and is fairly reliable as tipsters go, claims that the slate is being tested with a 1680 x 1050 screen, but that it will ship with a 2560 x 1600 display, so we could be in for some seriously crisp visuals.