Report: $99 Google Nexus tablet built by Quanta to hit U.S. in fourth quarter

Speculation has once again arisen that a $99 Google Nexus tablet will be available later in the fourth quarter, probably in time for the holiday shopping season. Asus, the manufacturer behind the two current Google Nexus 7 models, has repeatedly denied being involved in a $99 tablet and repeated the denial on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Digitimes says that Taiwan based Quanta will build the device which will run on an ARM-architecture single-core processor 8950 developed by China-based WonderMedia Technologies. The display will be a HUVA TN panel made by Taiwan-based HannStar Display.

A $99 Google Nexus tablet would quickly change the landscape in the U.S. for low priced slates. With the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the 8GB Google Nexus 7 both priced at $199, the expected launch of the Apple iPad mini would bring a higher priced alternative to the low-priced 7 inch category while at the same time a $99 model would smash through the current floor. Quanta refused to comment on the rumor while as we mentioned, Asus once again said it was not building a $99 tablet.

Obviously, this is a story you must take with the proverbial grain of salt. In September, we had on-again, off-again, on-again rumors about the $99 Google Nexus tablet. Chinese white-box manufacturers of low priced tablets would be among the hardest hit if indeed this report is legitimate. Meanwhile, with Staples business web site putting it online, it would appear that a 32GB version of the Google Nexus 7 will soon be here, priced below the 16GB variant which could mean that the middle child (16GB model) will soon be out of the picture.

source: Digitimes