Asus, Dell, Acer & Lenovo Prepping 8-inch Android Tablets for Q3 2013

[dgstorm]

According to a report from market NPD DisplaySearch, several third party manufacturers are betting big that the next trend in tablet size will be the 8-Inch variety. Supposedly, 8-inch Android tablets from Asus, Acer, Dell and Lenovo will all be launched sometime later this year, and some in the third quarter. Apparently, they are all inspired by the success of both the Apple iPad Mini and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. Here's a quote with a few more details,

Another reason for this shift would be the consumer segment targeted by 8-inch tablets. While 7-inch units usually go for the lower-end market, selling for cheap prices and integrating rather modest specification (with some exceptions), slightly bigger units should be sold for premium prices. This is yet another Apple-borrowed principle, which managed to capture a significant share of the market even though the starting price of the iPad Mini is $329.

Known mostly for their desktop products, vendors like the ones above are said to be shifting production towards the tablet sector as personal computer shipments continue to decrease. While the total number of tablet shipments is expected to increase around 67 per cent when compared with the past year, up to 10 per cent of all slates are expected to be 8-inch products.

What do you guys think? Could the sweet spot for tablets really be the 8-inch variety instead of the 7-inch?

Source: AndroidAuthority

 

[vampirefo.]

I agree, I think 8 inch tablets are the best size for every day use.

Sent from my CM9 SPH-D710 Android Phone

 

[SEMIJim]

I have to admit that, tho I think I want a 10" tablet, for the time I had the GT2, at times it seemed almost... clumsy. Whereas the 8" Vizio VTAB I have seems a convenient size.

I'll have to see what these rumoured new offerings look like. If there's a nice one, essentially vanilla Android, that fits my budge, well, maybe that'll be what I get next.

Wasn't there a poll, here, a short while ago, about tablet size? ISTR 8" was clearly the winner.

Jim

 

[MA83]

I really like the eight inch form factor. I'd still prefer one with the phone built in though, because I hate having to pay for and carry around multiple devices.

 

[edap]

The Acer Iconia A1 is 7.9". (Is that close enough?) It has Android 4.2 jellybean OS and is $199.00 at Walmart.