Andre Yoskowitz
24 Dec 2012 18:51
According to the WSJ, Acer is ramping up to launch a $99 Android tablet next year.
The tablet will feature a 7-inch screen, a 1024x600 resolution, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and other similar specs to the Amazon Kindle Fire or B&N Nook Color.
While Amazon sells their tablet for $139, Acer will look to take global share (especially in developing nations) with a $99 price tag. In fact, the device may not even make it to the U.S., despite the company submitting the tablet to the FCC for approval.
Dubbed the Iconia B1, Acer will directly compete with Chinese "white-box" tablets that are generically built and include older versions of Android but sell for $99 or less. "White-box" tablet makers are expected to sell 60 million of the devices next year, making the opportunity a very real one for Acer.
In the U.S., the major competitors are Amazon's Kindle Fire, Google's speedy $199 Nexus 7 and Apple's beautiful but pricey iPad Mini at $329.