by Joann Pan on MashableGadget lovers have been speculating about the 2012 release of the Google Tablet for months. Now, sources close to the project say the iPad competitor will debut in July.
The Verge reports Google is pushing back the tablet’s previously anticipated May release, in an effort to cut prices. Manufacturers are working to bring the $249 price tag down to $199 or less.
DigiTimes reports the lower price will help Google compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire — which is now leading the 7-inch tablet market with its $199 model. It sold over five million units last quarter. The Barnes & Noble Nook Color Tablet — also running the Android operating system — is priced at $169 for the 7-inch touchscreen version.
By contrast, Apple is high-end, selling one of the most expensive tablets on the market with its lowest-priced 9.5-inch iPad (16GB Wi-Fi-only) costing $499.
The 7-inch Google Tablet will run on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS with a Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor. The Verge mentioned reports speculating the delayed release could be due to Google’s nearly finished Android 5.0 Jelly Bean update, which Google could be waiting for before it releases its first tablet.
Once released, Google plans to sell its tablets through its own online store, according to last week’s WSJ report.
How much would you pay for a 7-inch Google Tablet? Tell us in the comments.
Source: Mashable
