Philips' first tablet verified, will launch in China
updated 12:25 pm EDT, Thu April 19, 2012
7-inch tablet to run Android 4.0 on MIPS chip
Dutch electronics manufacturer Philips will be entering the tablet market in the near future, according to Bright Side of News. The manufacturer is looking to debut a seven-inch, MIPS-based tablet to launch initially in China.
News of the tablet broke at the Linley Tech Mobile Conference, where it was among the featured technologies in the MIPS Technologies booth. The tablet will be based on a low-cost MIPS architecture, and will run Android 4.0. Little other information on specs was available.
MIPS mobile chips are a popular option for manufacturers looking to develop low-cost mobile electronics. Already, the company's offerings have been featured in a $120 Android 4.0 tablet from Ainol Novo7, as well as a sub-$100 tablet developed by MIPS and China's Ingenic Semiconductor.
The Philips tablet emerges at a time of uncertainty for the Dutch manufacturer. Last year saw Philips spinning off its TV business in April, then later revealing a $1.8 billion loss for the second quarter of 2011. The low-cost tablet may yet prove a means of turning around the company's fortunes. Should its China launch prove successful, it is expected to be released elsewhere as well. [via Tablets Magazine]
