Google's Android-based Nexus tablet to be manufactured by LG

Google is in the throes of crafting a Nexus Android 3.0 or Honeycomb-based tablet with LG, according to reports.

PCWorld reported that the tablet could start shipping this summer.

Google had earlier partnered with HTC and Samsung to deliver two phones under the Nexus brand, Nexus One and Nexus S, respectively.

Google released its next iteration of Android, the Gingerbread with its Nexus S phone, and if Google follows the same tradition then it could release its Nexus tablet preinstalled with a new edition of Android 3.0.

Google has partnered with LG for its tablet rather than continuing with its erstwhile partner Samsung, even though Samsung has treaded the tablet path for quite some time with its launch of Samsung Galaxy Tab last year. LG, on the other hand, just recently unveiled its flagship tablet G-Slate.

LG's G-Slate is the first tablet to feature 3D video recording and playback. The tablet sports an 8.9-inch display with 1280x720 screen resolution. It is powered by Nvidia Tegra 2 1GHz processor and runs on Android 3.0. It also has as Stereoscopic video recorder for 3D recording, a 5 MP rear-facing and 2MP front-facing camera.

Samsung recently released its ultra-thin tablets Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9 which are a mere 8.6mm thick. Thus Google's decision not to partner with Samsung in spite of its having experience in making tablets could be to bring in another major South Asian OEM in its fold.

When Google launched Nexus One it was seen as Google's strategy to bypass the carriers to directly reach the customers. Google's plan was to sell Google One online where users could purchase the phone from a web store and then choose their carrier. Initially Google had only T-Mobile on board. It was expecting that others would follow but that never transpired. In July 2010 Google announced that it was closing its Nexus One web store.