Nexus 10

Nexus 10

Company type	Tablet computer
Industry	Consumer electronics
Predecessor	Nexus 7
Founded	October 29, 2012 (2012-10-29)
Founder	Google, Samsung Electronics
Fate	Discontinued
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Nexus 10 tablet
Owner	Google
Parent	Samsung Electronics (manufacturer)

Nexus 10 Overview

The Nexus 10 is a tablet computer jointly created by Google and Samsung Electronics, operating on the Android platform. It represents the second model in the Google Nexus lineup, a series of Android devices designed by Google and manufactured by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner. Building on the success of the initial 7-inch Nexus 7 tablet, the Nexus 10 features a larger 10.1-inch screen with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels, which was the highest resolution available on any tablet at its launch. The device was officially announced on October 29, 2012, and became available for purchase starting November 13, 2012.

This tablet is offered in two storage configurations: a 16 GB model priced at US$399 and a 32 GB version costing US$499. Released alongside the Nexus 4 smartphone, the Nexus 10 debuted with Android 4.2 ("Jelly Bean"), introducing enhancements including "Photo Sphere" for 360° panoramic photo stitching, a quick access settings menu, lock screen widgets, gesture-based typing, an improved Google Now experience, and support for multiple user profiles on tablets.

Upon its announcement on October 29, 2012, the device received generally positive reviews with some mixed opinions. Strong consumer interest led to rapid sellouts through the Google Play Store. Since its launch, the Nexus 10 has undergone three significant software updates and can be upgraded to Android 5.1.1 ("Lollipop"). While official updates beyond version 5.1.1 are not provided, security updates will continue to be delivered for at least three years following the device’s initial release.

History

Google had planned to unveil the Nexus 10 alongside the Nexus 4 and Android 4.2 during a conference scheduled for October 29, 2012, in New York City, but the event was cancelled due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy.

Consequently, the announcement for the device occurred on the same day through an official press release posted on Google's blog, which also introduced the Nexus 4 and the 32 GB Nexus 7 model featuring cellular connectivity.

The Nexus 10 officially launched for purchase in markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, and Canada on November 13, 2012. Although Japan was initially set to be part of this launch, its release was delayed and the tablet became available there on February 5.

Throughout its availability, the Nexus 10 experienced fluctuating stock levels across various international Google Play Stores. The 32 GB model, in particular, was frequently sold out. Upon release on Google Play, the higher-capacity version quickly went out of stock within hours, while the 16 GB variant remained accessible for purchase. Both the United States and Canadian Google Play stores saw rapid sellouts of the Nexus 10 following its introduction.

Software

The Nexus 10 was initially equipped with Android version 4.2 ("Jelly Bean") and received an upgrade path up to Android 5.1.1 ("Lollipop") as of March 9, 2015. It came preloaded with a suite of applications including Google Chrome, Gmail, Play Music, Play Books, Play Movies, the Play Store app, YouTube, Currents, Google+, Maps, and People.

Hardware and design

The Nexus 10 is equipped with a Samsung Exynos 5250 system on chip, which includes a dual-core 1.7 GHz Cortex A15 central processing unit alongside a quad-core ARM Mali-T604 graphics processing unit. The tablet incorporates a rear-facing primary camera with a 5-megapixel sensor and an LED flash, capable of recording 1080p video at 30 frames per second and capturing images at a resolution of 2592×1936 pixels. This camera supports features such as autofocus, face detection, and geotagging. Additionally, there is a front-facing camera with a 1.9-megapixel sensor.

The device’s body is constructed from plastic, with the back panel presenting a smooth plastic finish except for a removable strip of textured plastic, resembling the design found on the Nexus 7 rear, which conceals FCC markings. Prominently displayed on the back is the "nexus" logo, representing the device's inclusion in the Nexus product line, along with a smaller "Samsung" logo acknowledging the manufacturer. Notably, there is no branding for Google, the distributor and creator of the device’s operating system, Android. The top edge houses the volume rocker and power button; on the left side, users will find a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a microUSB port for charging or connecting to USB-compatible devices such as computers. The right side contains only a microHDMI port, while the bottom edge features magnetic pogo pin connectors used for docking and charging.

Powering the Nexus 10 is a 9,000 mAh lithium polymer battery, which reportedly delivers up to 9 hours of video playback, 90 hours of audio playback, approximately 7 hours of web browsing, and around 500 hours (roughly 20.8 days) of standby time.

The tablet sports a 10.055 inches (255.4 mm) diagonal liquid crystal display with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels (WQXGA), resulting in a pixel density of 300 pixels per inch and an aspect ratio of 16:10. Its screen employs a "True RGB Real Stripe PLS" TFT panel combined with capacitive multi-touch capabilities, safeguarded by scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 2. The display supports over 16.7 million distinct colors.

Reception

The Nexus 10 garnered a range of responses, generally leaning toward positive.

• Drew Olanoff, a columnist for TechCrunch, expressed that Android provides a superior tablet experience compared to iOS, concluding that while Apple maintains an edge, Google is on the verge of something remarkable.
• The Gadget Show described the Nexus 10 as "the finest large Android tablet we've encountered," highlighting its display as a standout feature. They praised its screen quality as phenomenal and comparable to the Retina display found on the third and fourth generation iPads, emphasizing that the visual clarity must be experienced firsthand to be fully appreciated.
• Tim Stevens from Engadget acknowledged the tablet's impressive resolution but noted it ultimately does not sufficiently distinguish itself from rival products.
• Eric Franklin at CNET pointed out that the Nexus 10 excels in design and performance, and suggested that the new features introduced in Android 4.2 alone might justify purchasing the device.
• James Rogerson of TechRadar commented that aside from pricing considerations, Apple enthusiasts have little incentive to switch to the Nexus 10; however, it offers enough appeal to satisfy users loyal to Android.
• The device received a rating of four out of five stars from Laptop Magazine, CNET, and PCWorld, while TechRadar awarded it four and a half stars out of five.
• Ratings from PC Magazine and Wired were three out of five and eight out of ten respectively.

Critics highlighted certain drawbacks such as the absence of an SD card slot for expandable memory, lack of mobile connectivity, weaker color contrast and color saturation, as well as a limited range of tablet-specific Android applications. Conversely, they commended the device’s exceptional display resolution, robust high-performance processor, and modern user interface.

See also

• Comparison of tablet computers
• Comparison of Google Nexus tablets