NEWS ANALYSIS: The latest rumors suggest Google will be unveiling a new tablet to take on the Kindle Fire. But what should that device offer to present a serious challenge to the Amazon tablet that won accolades as a holiday sales hit?
Rumors
abound that Google is planning to launch a tablet in 2012 that could go
head-to-head with Amazon's Kindle Fire. That device, which launched late in
2011, has captivated consumers who wanted to buy a basic tablet without
spending
the $499 and up it costs just to get their hands on an iPad 2.
Exactly
what Google has planned for its tablet, however, is unknown. In fact, the
search giant hasn't even confirmed that it will introduce such a device this
year. But with Motorola Mobility coming to its aid, there's a solid chance that
Google will enter the hardware fray, and it could do so first in the tablet
market.
The
only question is how Google would design a tablet to challenge Kindle Fire's
features and price. The Kindle Fire is a top product with a host of impressive
features. Beating it in 2012 will not be easy.
But
if Google wants to achieve that lofty goal, the company will have to make the
following moves.
1. Google branding
The
last thing Google should do is brand its tablet with Motorola Mobility's logo.
To beat Amazon,
the search giant must call it the Google Tablet and make it clear that from
conception to implementation the tablet idea is its own. Consumers trust
Google; they don't necessarily trust Motorola Mobility to make a tablet, as
evidenced by the company's sluggish sales in that market. Google must keep that
in mind.
2. A unique operating system
Although
Kindle Fire runs Android, the operating system is unlike anything consumers
have seen. Amazon spent considerable time fiddling with Android to make the
Kindle Fire's OS its own. The smart move then is for Google to do the same with
Android. Uniqueness matters in the tablet market.
3. A desirable ebook experience
Google
realizes ebooks are the future. But so far, Amazon's Kindle ebooks are leading
that space. For the Google Tablet to take on the Kindle Fire, the search giant
must make a desirable ebook experience central to its plans. Such a move could
go a long way in attracting those who want to get into ebooks, but don't know
where to start.
4. It's all about integrated services
If
Amazon and Apple have proved anything in the tablet market, it's that
integrated services are central to a device's success. Apple has iTunes, the
App Store and iBooks. Amazon has the Kindle ebook store, Prime Instant Video
and its own App Store. Google must bundle all of its many services in its own
tablet. To not do so would be a huge mistake.
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