The Nexus range of smartphones and tablets has been a success for Google, offering quality hardware and pure Android experience at a reasonable price. The company is reportedly set to add an 8-inch tablet to its portfolio, bringing a model in direct competition to Apple's iPad mini range.

According to a report by Chinese tech news website Digitimes, Google is likely to adopt Intel's Bay Trail-T processor platform for the upcoming Nexus 8 tablet. However, Qualcomm - the maker of Snapdragon chipsets that power the current generation of Nexus models - is "still striving for related orders."

The report also says that Google will continue working with Taiwanese manufacturer Asus to develop the new model. Asus made the first and second generation Nexus 7 tablets. It is also said, "Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Lenovo are unlikely to be able to take the orders away easily."

Earlier, it was rumoured that the Nexus 8 would be based on LG's G Pad 8.3, which was launched late last year.

According to supply chain sources, Google will launch its first 8-inch tablet in mid-2014.

In November last year, Google had put up the image of a tablet with bezels smaller than the one in Nexus 7, sparking rumours that it had accidentally leaked an upcoming 8-inch model.