HardwareCentral reports that Google may be planning to enter the netbook fray itself with a branded device set for release next fall.
Will Google risk alienating potential hardware partners by producing a netbook of its own?
That’s the question on industry watchers’ minds as new rumors abound that Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) is talking to Taiwanese manufacturers about producing a netbook built to its specs, though the search giant itself is staying mum on the topic.
It’s the latest development on the heels of Google’s unveiling of its netbook OS strategy last month during a media event at the company’s headquarters.
The event focused on the release of a test version of Google’s browser-based, netbook-oriented Chrome operating system for developers to experiment with.
Google also said at the time that it expects a new generation of Chrome-based netbooks to be released by next fall from a number of undisclosed hardware partners. Taiwanese PC giant Acer has since gone on-record to say it expects to be the first manufacturer out with a Chrome OS-based netbook by sometime in the second half of 2010.
Now, however, reports are indicating that Google may be planning to compete with Acer and other hardware partners by bringing out a netbook of its own design.