A couple of weeks ago, we reported that the Nexus Player disappeared from the Google Store suggesting that maybe Google was done with the device. We have seen Google abandon certain hardware products in the past, like the ill-fated Nexus Q and the Nexus 9 (no indication of a revival), so we can’t say we were too surprised.
However if the idea of a Nexus Android TV player was an idea that you really liked, it seems that you can rest easy because maybe the Nexus Player isn’t gone for good. According to reports, it seems that the Nexus Player by ASUS has been spotted at the FCC with some refreshed hardware, indicating that a newer Nexus Player could be launched soon.
Now from what we can tell from the FCC filing, at least the things that the FCC requires to be disclosed, the refreshed hardware includes a modified WiFi antenna layout, an updated system power circuit and layout, an updated RF circuit and layout, and updated system circuit components which includes USB, HDMI, and the Power button.
There is no mention of an updated processor, more RAM, and so on, but since those things aren’t required by the FCC, it is possible that they could be there anyway. That being said there’s no guarantee that we will see this model hit the shelves, but we suppose we can take some comfort in knowing that maybe the Nexus Player lineup isn’t quite so dead after all.