Following Google’s I/O 2013 keynote that lacked any new announcements of new Nexus-branded hardware or new Android OS versions, new reports suggest that the company will unveil such products at some point in the coming months.

Specifically, it is believed that a new Nexus 7 tablet will be launched at some point in July, which is when Android 4.3 would also be made official.

It’s still speculation at this point, but it wouldn’t be completely out of the realms of common sense to see that happen. In fact, when talking about the missing hardware and Android updates at Google I/O 2013, we did say that such products would almost certainly be unveiled later down the road.

Android 4.3

For the moment, Android 4.3 seems to be the most likely new Android OS update, although, just like Android 5.0, it’s not confirmed by Google. However, many Android 4.3 references have been already found in the wild, including server logs that indicate Android 4.3 will be another Jelly Bean version and a Google page on its Android site that briefly mentioned the new version a few hours ahead of the Google I/O keynote before being removed.

Whatever the next Android OS version will be, it’s clear though that it will support Bluetooth 4.0 Smart Ready (also known as Bluetooth Low Energy or BLE), according to a press release issued by Google yesterday (see it at the end of this post). This particular detail was not mentioned during Google I/O, but it’s important considering that Google’s Android has lacked support for BLE so far.

Google’s press release says that BLE support will come “later this year,” without specifying exactly when that will happen. But Android Beat tells us that someone said during one Google I/O session that “Android API release 18 will get Bluetooth Smart functionality in ‘a couple of months:’”

Android API 18 (released in a couple of months) will support Bluetooth Low Energy, also called Bluetooth SMART. #io13

— icyerasor (@icyerasor) May 15, 2013

Now, Android API release 17 happens to be Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which means that the next Android version – API release 18 – could be unveiled around July.

Finally, we’re also going to remind you that the Nexus 4 has received Bluetooth 4.0 certification just recently so it would be able to offer BLE support once Android API release 18 is launched.

New Nexus 7

In addition to a new Android OS version we could see that rumored new Nexus 7 arrive at about the same time in the coming months.

The device has appeared in various unconfirmed reports leading to Google I/O 2013, but Google did not mention a product refresh during its software-oriented three-hour keynote.

Of those reports, a particular one stood out from the crowd – a note to investors from an analyst – revealing plenty of “new Nexus 7” details that made a lot of sense on paper.

Digitimes, a publication that doesn’t have an always-accurate rumor-reporting track record, on Wednesday said in a post about upcoming affordable second-generation Microsoft Surface RT models that a new Nexus 7 would be launched in July. Here’s the full quote:

In addition to Surface [launching in June], Google is also set to start selling its second-generation Nexus 7 in July with a sales target of 6-8 million units for the second half. The upcoming Nexus 7 will feature Japan Display’s (JPI) 1920 by 1200 LTPS TFT panel and a Qualcomm processor, and be priced the same as the first-generation model.

Naturally, we can’t verify these details at this time, but considering that there’s plenty of evidence suggesting that an Android OS update is in the works, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Google pair a new Android OS release with the launch of new Nexus-branded hardware.

Of all the devices it could possibly unveil in the coming months, the new Nexus 7 makes the most sense, considering that the first-generation model is almost one-year old, and a product refresh is more than logical. Also somewhat logical would be the launch of a mid-cycle 32GB Nexus 4 LTE around the same time, but we’ll cross that bridge when and if we get there.