Google and Verizon Team-up to Create New Tablet

By Ryan Fleming May 12, 2010

Another competitor for the iPad’s throne has emerged, but this competitor has teeth and a global reach. Google and Verizon have joined forces to release a new tablet computer that will use the Google Android OS, and can connect to a 3G wireless network via Verizon.

There have been a slew of challengers to the iPad’s dominance, but none have had the resources and global reach that Google and Verizon can muster. Microsoft’s Courier tablet is dead, the future of HP Slate is anyone’s guess, and the rest of the pack cannot come close to touching Apple’s ability to attract global customers while still breaking sales records in the U.S. as well.

Wall Street Journal was the first to break the news of the newest endeavor between the two, but there have been rumors of a Google tablet in the works for months. The inclusion of Verizon and its 3G network, plus the resources at its disposal make the potential tablet an immediate contender in the lucrative and growing tablet field.

This new deal does present some interesting questions about any potential deals between Apple and Verizon. Apple has never been known for its magnanimity, so if Verizon helps develop what should be the iPad’s biggest rival, it may not sit well with Apple. On the other hand, Verizon might not be thrilled with the revelation that the exclusive arrangement between Apple and AT&T runs into 2012. Then again, the news is still just into the announcement phase, and it could be leverage to use for potential negotiations. The exclusive contract between Apple and AT&T does have a buy-out clause, plus Apple’s lawyers know a thing or two about legal contracts.

If the Google/Verizon tablet does come to fruition, Apple will have its hands full with a powerful new opponent in the tablet wars.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…

Mobile

A new Google Pixel Tablet is coming, but it’s not what you think

Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

It's been almost a year since the Google Pixel Tablet went up for preorder, leading many Android tablet fans to wonder when the inevitable Pixel Tablet 2 will arrive. A new rumor suggests that Google could release a new Pixel Tablet as early as next month, but it's probably not what you were expecting or hoping for.

According to @MysteryLupin on X (formerly Twitter), Google is planning to "relaunch" the Pixel Tablet without the charging/speaker dock included in the box. As you'll likely recall, the speaker dock is the Pixel Tablet's standout feature. You can use the Pixel Tablet on its own as a traditional Android tablet when you want, and when you're done, you throw it on the dock to transform it into a smart display. The idea of Google selling the Pixel Tablet without its claim to fame is an interesting one.

Mobile

Apple is about to do the unthinkable to its iPads

A person holding the iPad Air 4.

Earlier today, Apple announced that new iPads are coming this May. In my eyes, this seems to be “The Chosen One” generation. We’re likely getting an OLED display, a better keyboard (hopefully), and a chip ready to chomp the AI dinner. This gadget shall finally fill the techno-digital void in my life. At last.

Or maybe I am just trying to blindly convince myself to splurge over a thousand dollars for a machine that is “still not a Mac” and “can never be a fully fleshed out workstation.” But hey, people are spending $3,500 on a headset that gives them a headache and $700 for an AI thingamajig that can’t quite figure out what it really wants to do.

Mobile

The best iPads in 2024: the 5 best ones you should buy

The backs of Apple's iPad Air and iPad Pro, with the tablets place on a table.

Apple's iPad is undoubtedly one of the most popular tablets on the market right now. There are several different models to choose from, but no matter which one you go with, you'll be getting one of the best tablets out there. Still, Apple provides an abundance of choice here, and with so many different versions — and almost annual updates — it can be tricky to know which one is the best to get.

All of Apple's iPads are pretty great, and they're each designed with a slightly different audience in mind, so it's hard to pick a single one as "the best." That's why we've broken this list down by categories; after all, there's an ideal iPad for nearly every situation. Whether you're looking for the best overall iPad, the best iPad on a budget, something in the middle of the pack, or even the best small iPad, we've got you covered.