According to Asian news outlets, Google is set to follow its competitors and going to launch its own-brand 12.85-inch touch notebook powered by Chrome-OS in the first quarter of next year.
Chinese Commercial Times reports (translated) that Wintek and Compal Electronics, Taiwanese company have been asked to manage touch panel and OEM production respectively, with starting supply shipments anticipated to have started in November ahead of a launch during the first quarter of 2013.
As this is an era with most advanced smartphones and Apple’s new iPad, iMacs, Google is anticipated to make use of optical lamination technology, which have the touch sensor and cover glass in one, which reduces the thickness of a gadget.
After acquiring of Motorola Mobility, Google has remained quiet on revealing its plans to launch its own-branded devices. Over the past 6 months, the company has collaborated with Acer and Samsung to launch low-cost Chromebooks into the market, which are not touch-sensitive and are targeted at schools,families and those in small business, to provide something more cost-friendly and assist Google’s plans to move people to the Cloud.
Touch-sensitive Chrome OS notebook reports are not new in the market, in fact Google was reported to launch a similar type of device in 2009 also. Although, a buyable device has yet to come into existence, however developers have been pulling aside the Chrome OS to show the platform’s touch-sensitive user-interface.
If previous reports are true, the launch of a Chrome OS touch-friendly notebook would suggest that Google is adapting its plans as it pushes Chromebook OS notebook branding. Like Microsoft is having its Surface tablet, Google may be looking to get rid of its existing partners Acer and Samsung, and earn the profit directly from sales of own-branded gadgets.
Eric Schmidt, Former Google CEO told in a press conference two years back that if the company would launch a touch-sensitive gadget,then it would be powered by Android only.
