Viewsonic is planning to launch its first WiMax tablet in the country. The tablet will be a 7 inch Android Honeycomb device.
WiMax is a 4G technology that is faster than current 3G networks. Currently, BSNL offers this service on a large scale, but 4G services are likely to be launched by operators like Airtel, Aircel, Tikona and Reliance Infotel later this year or early next year. Whether these operators will go for WiMax or LTE, among the two 4G technology options, is not yet known though.
While talking to ‘The Mobile Indian’, Ajay Sharma, country manager of Viewsonic India, said, “We will launch a 7 inch Android Honeycomb tablet this Diwali, and this will be our first tablet with WiMax network support. It will be a very important launch for us as the country prepares to usher the 4G era.”
The tablet by Viewsonic is likely to be the same as shown earlier at Computex in Taipei (a trade fair), which was a light weight tablet weighing a meagre 380 grams. The device is likely to have at least a 1 GHz Tegra 2 processor, a pair of cameras, and USB, HDMI output etc. It is expected to be priced between Rs 30,000-35,000.
The 4G spectrum auction was held soon after the 3G auction and operators have had spectrum since September 2010. They have, however, been silent about their plans on the choice of technology (WiMax or LTE) and the potential launch date of services.
We earlier said that Reliance Infotel, the only service provider to have a pan-India spectrum license, is likely to launch services using WiMax technology. If that happens, this tablet will make a lot of sense to users as well as to the operator.