page_title: Nexus 7 (2012)
section_title: Hardware and design
hierarchical_section_title: Nexus 7 (2012) / Features / Hardware and design
caption_attribution_description: English: A 2012 Nexus 7 with the back panel removed and the inner components visible
context_page_description: The first-generation Nexus 7 is a mini tablet computer co-developed by Google and Asus that runs the Android operating system. It is the first tablet in the Google Nexus series of Android consumer devices marketed by Google and built by an original equipment manufacturer partner. The Nexus 7 features a 7.0-inch display, an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core chip, 1 GB of memory, Wi-Fi and near field communication connectivity, and 8, 16 or 32 GB of storage. The tablet was the first device to ship with version 4.1 of Android, nicknamed "Jelly Bean". By emphasizing the integration of the Google Play multimedia store with Android 4.1, Google intended to market the Nexus 7 as an entertainment device and a platform for consuming e-books, television shows, films, games, and music.
  Design work on the Nexus 7 began in January 2012 after a meeting between Google and Asus executives at International CES. The device's design was based on Asus' Eee Pad MeMO ME370T tablet that had been showcased at the conference. Following a hectic four-month development period during which the device was modified to reach a US$199 price point, mass production started in May.
context_section_description: The Nexus 7 (ASUS-1B32) has a plastic chassis that is 7.81 in (198.5 mm) long, 4.7 in (120 mm) wide, and 0.41 in (10.5 mm) thick, and weighs 12 oz (340 g). The device features a Nvidia Tegra 3 SoC consisting of a 1.3 GHz Cortex-A9 quad-core central processing unit (CPU) and a twelve-core 416 MHz Nvidia GeForce ULP graphics processing unit (GPU). In conjunction with an accelerometer and gyroscope, the powerful GPU enables graphically demanding gameplay. The Tegra 3 processor, besides the four primary cores, features "Variable Symmetric Multiprocessing" that uses a fifth "stealth" core designed to take over during periods of low processor demand, helping to preserve battery life. Other features include a microphone, GPS, a magnetometer, a NFC chip with a Secure Element, and a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera. The rear of the Nexus 7 features a dimpled plastic surface with a rubbery, leathery texture to help users to grip and hold the device.
  Google and Asus omitted cellular connectivity on initial models of the device, instead employing Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n as the only means for the tablet to connect to the Internet. A mobile-capable version of the device utilizing HSPA+ cellular technology with 32 GB of storage was later introduced in October 2012 for $299. Unlike most tablets, the Nexus 7 has NFC connectivity built in, which allows users to share files quickly with Android Beam and perform non-touch payments at sites that employ NFC cash registers.
  The Nexus 7 is powered by a 4,325 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery that typically lasts 9.5 hours and can be charged via micro-USB. In order to maximize the device's battery life, Asus engineers spent one month attempting to reduce electrical leakage by measuring heat and voltage at every point on the printed circuit board (PCB). The tablet includes a highly efficient power management integrated circuit designed by Maxim Integrated Products. Google claims the Nexus 7's battery life allows 9 hours of HD video playback, 10 hours of web browsing or e-reading, and 300 hours on standby.
  The device's 7-inch (180 mm) LCD has a 1280×800-pixels resolution, giving it a density of 216 pixels per inch (PPI). Its IPS display enables a wide viewing angle (178°) without significant color distortion, and enhances color reproduction. The tablet's thin, lightweight form factor was achieved without sacrificing computer power through a special LCD design called Asus TruVivid. The LCD panel uses a "one-glass" solution and a non-traditional lamination technique. Tablet touchscreens typically comprise four pieces of glass—two that sandwich the liquid crystal, a touch sensor glass, and a protective glass—whereas the Asus TruVivid design fuses the protective and sensor glass, with the sensor attached as a film. The conventional lamination technique for touchscreens involves air bonding, in which the glass layers are glued around the edges, leaving air in between; Asus used a "full lamination" technique, in which the glass layers are fused by adhesive with no air between. This yielded thinner display panels, but made production more difficult, as there was less tolerance for imprecision without affecting the quality of the screen. The tablet's display is protected by a layer of Corning Fit Glass.
  Contrasting with the company's usual method for designing motherboards, the first components that Asus placed on the device's PCB were the speakers. This was done to ensure the other components did not force speaker placement towards one side, which would harm sound quality. The design saw the implementation of two microphones to ensure the user's hand placement on the device would not muffle sound during videoconferencing, while the headphone jack was moved to the bottom of the device, preventing the headphone wire from draping across the screen.
  Two models of the Nexus 7 were available at launch, one with 8 GB of storage, priced at US$199 or £159, and one with 16 GB of storage, priced at $249 or £199. On October 29, 2012, the Nexus 7 lineup was revised: the 8 GB model was discontinued, the price of the 16 GB v
caption: The Nexus 7's battery visible with the back cover removed
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