Sandy got the biggest headlines Monday for storming ashore and Microsoft got second billing for its official launch of Windows Phone 8.
But Google also announced some new products yesterday, even though itslaunch events were cancelled due to Sandy. Instead, Google posted itsnews via a blog: a new Nexus 4 smartphone and a bigger Nexus tablet areon the way.
The Nexus 4 phone will be made by LG Electronics Inc. and also featuresa minor update to the Android phone OS, according to our source articlefrom the Toronto Star. The phone will sport a 4.7-inch screen – largerthan Apple’s recently released iPhone 5 but still smaller thanSamsung’s Galaxy SIII.
The Nexus 10 tablet measures 10 inches on the diagonal, so it’s biggerthan the Nexus 7 but about the same dimensions as Apple’s iPad. Sowhile Apple is downsizing via the iPad Mini in a bid to compete withAmazon’s Kindle Fire, Google is actually upsizing its Nexus tablet. TheNexus 10 tablet goes on sale in Canada on Nov. 13 at $409 for 16GB and$509 for 32GB.
Google is upsizing the latestversion of its Nexus tablet to 10 inches (above). (Photo: Google)
Google is dropping the price of its Nexus 7 from $249 to $199 (US) toeat into sales of the $159 Kindle Fire. It’s also lowering the price ofits 32GB Nexus 7 to compete with Apple’s new iPad Mini, which seemspricy at $329 for just 16GB.
Of course the picture is even more crowded since Microsoft unveiled itsSurface tablet last week. In Canada, the Surface with Windows RT willinitially be available in a 32GB version priced at $519, a 32GB versionbundled with a black TouchCover priced at $619.00, and a 64GB version bundled with a black TouchCoverpriced at $719.
The war seemsto have shifted from the phonezone to the tablet battleground, at least for now.
