Games: SLIDESHOW: Apple's 12-Inch iPad, Google's New Nexus 7 and More From the Fourth Week of July

As July comes to a close, investors may notice that it appears to be ending in a very familiar way: with Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) reigning supreme.

Both tech giants made a ton of headlines this week, particularly in the area of new products. Apple has yet to unveil anything new, but rumors continued to state that new iPads and iPhones are just around the corner.

Google unveiled two new products this week -- Chromecast and the second-generation Nexus 7. The former is already a huge success.

Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at 248-636-1322 or louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ

Google Unveiled the New Nexus 7

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) flexed its tablet muscles this week when it unveiled the long-awaited Nexus 7 upgrade.

The second-generation model comes with the highest-resolution display of any seven-inch tablet.

It also carries a $229 MSRP -- $30 more than the original Nexus 7.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Apple Set a New iPhone Sales Record?

Analysts thought that iPhone sales were about to tank. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) proved them wrong.

The Cupertino, California-based tech giant sold 31.2 million units during the fiscal 2013 third quarter.

This set a new record for iPhone sales during the April-June sales period.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
?But Mac and iPad Sales Declined

Not every product in Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) portfolio has proved to be successful.

In fact, with the sole exception of the iPhone, the company experienced very little success.

Apple tried to downplay the fact that domestic Mac sales declined 12 percent in June. Worldwide, Mac sales declined five percent during the June quarter.

Apple sold 14.6 million iPads versus 17 million in the year-ago period and 19.5 million in the previous quarter.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Google Made Everyone Forget About Nexus Q

Remember that ball-shaped, audio-only streaming device that Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) introduced last year?

It was known as the Nexus Q. Some might say that the "Q" stood for "questionable" product, especially since the device was never released.

Google made up for that this week when it introduced Chromecast, an inexpensive streaming device that works with most smartphones and tablets.

Chromecast sold out almost immediately, thanks in part to the $35 price tag.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
When Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) unveiled the 128GB version of the fourth-generation iPad, artists rejoiced.

This week, after rumors claimed that Apple is experimenting with an iPad measuring just under 13 inches, artists became very intrigued by the possibilities.

While a 12-inch tablet may be too heavy and too large for the average user, artists could use it to enhance their creations and show off their portfolios.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Tim Cook Didn't Confirm a Cheap iPhone, But Analysts Want One Anyway

There was some confusion this week regarding what Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) CEO Tim Cook said during the company's earnings call.

He didn't actually confirm the existence of a low-cost iPhone.

Nonetheless, analysts continued to speculate about this illusive product, which they are convinced Apple will release later this year.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Google Towered Over Everyone

How big is Google (NASDAQ: GOOG)?

According to new research, Google is bigger than Twitter, Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) combined.

The company is reportedly responsible for 25 percent of all Internet traffic.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
iPad 5 Expected to be Thinner and Lighter

In news that is exciting but far from shocking, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is reportedly working on a next-generation iPad that is thinner and lighter than the last.

Oddly, rumors have yet to suggest that the fifth-generation iPad will have improved battery life.

Rumors insisted that a better battery would come to the iPad 3 and iPad 4, but that never came to pass.

And yet now, after the MacBook Air (which is a greater power hog than an iPad) received an energy bump, the rumor mill goes silent for the iPad 5.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Microsoft Embraced Indie Game Developers

Sony (NYSE: SNE) is no longer the only firm that will allow independent developers to self-publish.

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) will now do the same for Xbox One.

There's just one catch: this feature is unlikely to be available at launch.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Apple Serves One Billion Podcast Subscriptions

Aside from the mixed earnings (which saw record-breaking iPhone sales and declining iPad, Mac and iPod results), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) had a terrific week.

The company quietly announced that iTunes had reached one billion podcast subscriptions.

Now that podcasts, apps and music downloads have crossed the one billion mark, Apple might begin to count down until its billionth video has been downloaded.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Believe it or not, there are several companies whose names sound like they could be Transformers.

Join Benzinga's own Matthew Kanterman as he counts down the full list of corporations who might actually be robots in disguise.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons