So here we go again with rumors of a tablet computer coming from Google. And even though these latest "rumors" come courtesy of Verizon Wireless' Lowell McAdam himself, they're still rumors nonetheless.
Why? In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, McAdam confirms that the two are working on something. No specs, release date, price, hardware manufacturing partner. No details of any kind.
The Journal goes on to claim that the news, such that it is, spotlights the "deepening relationship between the largest U.S. wireless carrier by subscribers and Google , which has carved out a space in mobile devices with its Android operating system."
Of course, this is the carrier that turned its back on supporting Google's flagship Nexus One hero phone. I'm not sure of a deepening relationship when Verizon is apparently throwing its support behind some vaporware, but won't support an actual piece of hardware already available from Google.
Nevertheless, Google's move into tablets has already been discussed, whether using its Android OS or Chrome. We know that Google is essentially letting Apple do its market research for it with iPad. Note to Google: the market seems to want tablets, at least from Apple !
I'm wondering if this is an attempt by Verizon and Google to stall Apple's tablet in the marketplace by pre-announcing a product in hopes of forcing consumers to wait for what might be up their sleeves. It would have been a far more compelling strategy had Verizon not already backed away from Nexus.
And if there was some hope that Verizon was going to host the iPhone any time soon, note to Verizon: pre-announcing a yet-to-be-released-iPad-killer from of all companies Google, certainly doesn't help your negotiating stance.
There's no denying Android phones have been great for Verizon. A little less solid is if, when and where the Google tablet might be coming to Verizon. The search for details continues.
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