The Wall Street Journal reports that Verizon is partnering with Google to release a tablet computer, possibly to compete with the wildly successful iPad. Verizon chief executive Lowell McAdam said that "[Tablets] are the next big wave of opportunities," and that they are trying to deepen the current relationship between his company and the search giant.
In releasing both the HTC Droid and HTC Droid Incredible, Verizon has proven their willingness to stand behind Google"s Android operating system, and releasing a tablet with Google software, a device that would most likely define Verizon"s stake in the wireless broadband market, only serves to solidify that relationship even more.
However, Verizon has a long way to go before becoming a potential competitor against the market behemoth that is Apple"s iPad. After selling 300,000 units on its first day (and 1 million units in 28 days) and garnering high marks from most reviewers, targeting the iPad and AT&T will certainly be no easy task.
As far as what OS will actually run this Verizon tablet, McAdam wouldn"t give specifics. He said, "We"re looking at all the things Google has in its archives that we could put on a tablet to make it a great experience." Google only has two operating systems, Android and Chome OS, and the likely candidate for a tablet operating system would be Chrome OS, but McAdams comment is vague.
Verizon did not comment about the timing of such the joint project, or which manufacturer would produce it.
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