Apparently Google isn’t happy enough that its Android operating system has finally been implemented in a successful, top-selling tablet with the Kindle Fire.
Instead, it wants to have its own branded tablet to take on the iPad. The search giant is reportedly working on a device that will be the same size as the Kindle Fire. The rumored 7-inch device will have a 1280×800 resolution, a notable upgrade from the Kindle Fire’s 1024×600 spec.
According to Displaysearch analyst Richard Shim, Google is planning to manufacture between 1.5 million a 2 million units of the device, and should be able to have it available by April.
Assumedly, the tablet would be powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Google’s mobile OS. So that would give it a distinct advantage over the Kindle Fire, which runs its own proprietary version of Android and limits the number of apps that are available.
Nevertheless, if there’s anything that the Kindle Fire has shown us, it’s that consumers want an inexpensive Android tablet. Those who are willing to dole out hundreds of dollars on a tablet will buy an iPad. At least that’s how the market is right now.
The Google tablet is rumored to be aiming for a price tag of around $200, putting immense pricing pressure on the Kindle Fire. Whether or not it will be able to actually deliver on that price remains to be seen. It seems like a lot of offer for such a low price point, but we’ll see.
