We’ve been hearing rumors for some time now but it looks like the Google Nexus tablet will be available at some point in the next few months. According to AndroidAndMe, the tablet is apparently a “done deal,” and ready to go. We’re also hearing that the pricing of the device, as well as the processor powering it has been switched up a bit.
When we first began to hear rumors of a Nexus tablet, it was said that the device would be shipping with NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 quad-core processor but it looks like Google has changed its mind to keep costs down. Instead of NVIDIA’s latest SoC, we’re now likely to see a lower-end, dual-core processor running inside of the upcoming tablet. That’s certainly unfortunate to hear but the dual-core CPU, whoever it’s made by, could result in a $149 price point when the Nexus tablet actually be comes available.
At this point, it’s pretty obvious that Google isn’t attempting to go after the iPad with its upcoming 7 inch Nexus tablet, but Amazon’s Kindle Fire. The Fire uses Android as its operating system but your average consumer would never know, but it’s not that the Fire’s user interface is terribly attractive, it’s the price. At $200, the Fire has been quite a hit for the 7 inch tablet market, and Google likely wants to be able to get in on some of that success by undercutting the Fire’s price.
Rumors peg the tablet to launch in the next few months, which is just in time for CTIA in May and Google I/O in June. If it’s the latter, we’d imagine that Google will be handing the device out to developers at its conference. While it likely won’t launch on the tablet, the Nexus tablet may be first in line to receive the Android Jelly Bean update that will likely be announced at the conference as well.
So, with a slower processor and lower price, the prospects of the Nexus tablet isn’t as exciting as it once was. That said, getting a comparable tablet out in the market that’s under $200 is the real story here.
[Via: AndroidAndMe]