Google might be trying to make room for the new Nexus 8

Jun 20, 2014 14:36 GMT  ·  By

Things seem to be getting more and more interesting, as we get closer to Google’s anticipated I/O 2014 set to kickstart towards the end of the month.

But in an unexpected turn of events, reports are coming in via GottaBeMobile claiming that several Google Play Editions are no longer in the Play store. In all possibility, this signifies that the Nexus 8 will soon make an appearance and this will probably happen at the event mentioned above.

We have no official confirmation about this fact, but all seems to be point towards this direction. Anyway, the reality remains that the Google Play Editions of HTC One M7, LG G Pad 8.3 and Sony (Xperia) Z Ultra have all quietly stepped down from the Play Store.

It is highly unlikely that multiple devices would sell out at the same time, so the question remains: what does this mean?

One theory would be that Google is making room for some new devices in the Play Store, which include the Nexus 8.

On the other hand, maybe the search giant is planning to offer a new Google Play Edition, in the form of the rumored ASUS Nexus 8.

So far, word on the street agrees that the Nexus 8 will be manufactured by HTC, but a recent report has claimed that ASUS will be launching one as well.

Granted, the story mentioned that ASUS would be doing so without Google’s help, but what if things turn out to be different?

What if ASUS will be responsible for bringing the Google Play Edition to the table, while HTC will bring out the conventional model?

It’s all pure speculation at this point and it might be that we’re making a big fuss over nothing. However, remember that a few days ago, a mysterious unannounced ASUS tablet showed up in the GFXBench database, listed as the K014.

Given the fact that ASUS was at Computex 2014 unveiling a slew of new tablets, it’s pretty odd that a new slate has shown up so fast.

Taking a quick look at the device’s specs, you too will surely get Nexus 8 vibes. After all, the tablet arrives with the same 8.9-inch screen that the Google device is rumored to offer.

K014 also boasts full HD resolution (1920 x 1200 pixels), an Intel Atom Z3745 processor clocked at 1.8GHz in combination with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

In opposition, the HTC Nexus 8 has been said to arrive with a Moorefield 64-bit processor or Qualcomm 64-bit one.

But, until the Google I/O 2014, we suggest you take all this info with a big, fat grain of salt.