Aaron Lee, Taipei; Steve Shen

 

Google's plan to release its own tablet, the Google Nexus, in the next six months may cause conflict with branded PC vendors who are cooperating with Google to launch Ice Cream Sandwich-based tablet PCs in the first half of 2012, according to sources at the PC industry in Taiwan.

Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt revealed the company's roadmap for the Google Nexus during a recent interview with the media in Italy.

A major concern of the local PC industry is that the Google Nexus is likely to run on Android 4.1, while those Ice Cream Sandwich models to be rolled out in the first half of 2012 are to be powered by Android 4.0 - a development which is likely to cause deferred effects in the purchase of Android tablet PCs by consumers, the sources argued.

Asustek Computer has launched Android 4.0 tablet PCs, with Acer and Lenovo to release comparable models in early 2012, the sources indicated. Those Android 4.0 models can be upgraded to Android 4.1 when the new OS is available.

However, the dominance of iPads in the tablet PC market and the successful launch of low-priced Kindle Fires and Nook Tablets have forced some PC vendors to review their strategies for their tablet PC lines, the sources indicated.

Acer's recent decision to revamp its product lineups aiming to cut its product lines by two-thirds in three years will serve as a warning to the tablet PC industry, the sources commented.