Mar 25, 2017 01:27 PM EDT By Lucy McClaren, UniversityHerald Reporter

Google may release the Nexus 7 (2017) after the Taimen codename was leaked following Walleye and Murkie for the Google Pixel and Pixel XL respectively, which were released late last year. Google is reportedly copying Apple and Samsung in releasing two flagship versions every year, one for the smartphone and the other for the tablet.

After a long time of waiting for word or hints about Google's flagship tablet, the latest leak pertaining to uncovered codenames for Google devices finally put meat into rumors that a Nexus 7 (2017) is definitely in the works. The codenames Walleye, Murkie and Taimen were listed in the Android Open Source Program Gerrit, which makes the report more reliable than the various speculations regarding the upcoming tablet. Walleye and Murkie refer to the already-released Google Pixel and Pixel XL so Taimen could only be the Nexus 7, which may be unveiled any time this year following Apple and Samsung's lead in releasing two flagships a year. The latest Google tablet could have come sooner if not for the fallout between Google and Huawei, who previously manufactures the devices for the search giant as reported by Gig Jets.

Google is expected to pack in the latest hardware specs and innovative features in the same way that Google Pixel made a splash in the smartphone niche dominated by the iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy handsets. The Google Nexus 7 (2017) will most likely have the fastest chip in the market, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 with 6 to 8 GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage expandable to 2TB, Neurogadget reported. It is also expected to have a 7.0-inch AMOLED display boasting of 2,560x1,440 ppi coupled with a large pixel density, the USB Type-C ports, a 13MP rear-facing camera, and an 8MP for the selfie.

The Google Nexus 7 (2017) will have a hybrid operating system, the Andromeda OS, which is a combination of the Chromebook OS and Android. Google is apparently aiming to have a universal OS across all its devices like Microsoft's Windows 10. Google can definitely claim a "pure" Android tablet that Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 could not as well as leverage on an extensive portfolio of stellar apps that Apple iOS devices cannot match.

The Google Nexus 7 (2017) will be Google Pixel C's successor and the rival of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 and Apple's iPads. Following the successful launch of the Google handsets in the high-end market in the U.S., the search engine giant will be releasing its latest tablet iteration but this time using the Nexus brand name again. The Pixel brand has yet to penetrate the global market and the Nexus may ease the way given a more recognizable name.

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