A rumor reported by Taipei-based DigiTimes claims that Google's long-awaited 7-inch tablet PC will be released this summer. Citing "sources from the upstream supply chain," DigiTimes reported that the first Google tablets will be shipped in June and available to consumers in July.
This report is the most recent installment of the hype that has surrounded Google's entry-level tablet since December. In March, NPD Display Search reported to CNET that it expected production of the tablet in April, followed by a May release. It now appears that Google delayed the tablet's release for some last-minute design adjustments.
Following an initial shipment of 600,000 tablets, Google plans to release over two million tablets this year.
Built by Asustek Computer, with which it is co-branded, the tablet is expected to feature an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor running Android 4.0. It will reportedly offer WiFi-only Internet connectivity, which is a good match with the connectivity habits of most tablet users. The Google tablet's 7-inch display is smaller than its rival Apple's "iPad Mini" (also supposedly scheduled for a 2012 release), but the smaller display size gives Google an edge in portability and power usage. The Tegra 3 processor also offers highly efficient power consumption paired with good performance.
These advantages will be crucial to the Google tablet's success as it enters a highly competitive (but lucrative) tablet PC market. Google faces tough competition from Apple's iPad, Amazon's Kindle Fire, and Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 2. The Google tablet's pricing should help the Internet search giant wrest some market share from its rivals. According to rumors, it recently decreased the planned price of the tablet from an already-competitive $249 to $199 and is expected to sell its new 7-inch tablet via the newly-launched hardware portal of its Google Play store.
As usual, both Google and Asustek have declined to comment on the tablet shipment rumor.
