An executive for the Taiwanese manufacturer of computers, Asus, has been quoted as saying Google will announce its own branded computer tablet. The device has been designed to compete with the latest handheld tablet from Amazon. This is the latest evidence that suggests Asus is making a tablet for the developer of Android despite the recent purchase by Google of Motorola, which is also a maker of tablets.
The executive, who remained unnamed, was quoted as saying that the new tablet targets the Kindle made by Amazon. The Kindle is based on the platform from Google but contains its own service, so Google would have to launch its own service as well. Apparently, the new tablet is 7-inches and was nearly ready to be unveiled. Comscore a research firm said that the Kindle Fire from Amazon accounted for more than 54% of the Android platform tablet market in February in the U.S. The Kindle fire has not been released in any other country.
Many feel that Google will need to distinguish itself from Apple’s iPad and one way besides using its own platform would be to make a smaller tablet. However, a number of competitors have attempted that route and have not been successful. Most have been much more expensive than Amazon’s Kindle. If Google is able to hit a competitive price point and have even more impressive features, it could grow in the market.
Amazon is most likely prepared to take on the new challenge, a new updated version of the Kindle is ready to be announced sometime in July.
