Google working on a 8-inch Nexus tablet

Google will release an 8" Nexus tablet at the end of April. Initial shipments of this device are projected to hit the 2 million mark. Google reportedly decided to go for 8" to avoid the heavy price competition in the 7" segment.

As digitimes reports, Google has been developing an 8-inch tablet to avoid price competition in the 7-inch segment for launch at the end of April with initial shipments of two million units, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.

Google cooperated with Asustek Computer to develop 7-inch tablets which launched under a co-brand arrangement in June 2012 and July 2013.

However, sales performance for the second-generation Nexus 7 have been short of expectations mainly due to intense price competition in the 7-inch segment, with cumulative sales of fewer than three million units as of the end of 2013, the sources noted.

Therefore, Google has selected 8-inch as the size of the third-generation Nexus 7 to avoid price competition and competition from 5- to 6-inch smartphones, the sources indicated. Google is very likely to continue co-brand cooperation with Asustek for the 8-inch tablet, the sources added.