The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sony plans to launch “a device similar to the iPad.” There aren’t any details on exactly what a Sony tablet would look like, but the folks at 9to5mac make a pretty good case that we could be looking at a new Google Android powered tablet, given Sony’s recent chumminess with Google. Of course, you could also make a case that Sony has been installing Windows on its PCs for decades, so the company’s upcoming tablet is likely to run Windows 7. The truth is we just don’t know at this point.
One thing I don’t expect is for Sony to produce a tablet that will be all that competitive on price. The company tends to market its products as higher quality than those by its competitors such as Dell, Asus, or HP, which allows Sony to slap a higher price tag on its devices. For instance, the company’s first two forays into the Intel Atom powered mini-laptop space included the $800 Sony Vaio P mini-laptop and the $500 Sony Vaio W netbook with a high resolution display.
On the other hand, with Apple charging just $499 for the cheapest version of the iPad, maybe Sony will have to make its upcoming tablet somewhat affordable.
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