Google has not officially announced that it is working on its own tablet, but rumors of a Google-Asus tablet have been circulating for month. The co-branded device is expected to have a 7-inch display, an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and is Wi-Fi-only. But don't expect the tablet to surface anytime soon. Not till July at least.

Rumor Round-up

Rumors and speculations about the Google tablet started to intensify in March, when DigiTimes first reported that Google was working on a 7-inch tablet. Moreover, Android-centric Web site Android and Me reported last month that the tablet was a "done deal," with a retail price set between $129 and $199. Shortly after, the Wall Street Journal said the Google tablet would be available exclusively through Google's online stores.

Delayed Launch

A new report, however, dismisses the rumored May launch, stating it has been delayed for a few months. According to The Verge, Google has decided to push back the launch of its tablet until July "at the earliest," so it can improve its design and reconsider the pricing. The Web site cites anonymous sources close to Google's tablet team. "The current design was ready to go for May, but Google pushed back the planned release so it could tweak the device, sources close to the project said on Friday," wrote The Verge.

Lower Price

While previous reports indicated a $149-$199 price range for the tablet, The Verge pegs the price at $249, and says Google is planning to make some design changes to make it more accessible. Amazon's Kindle Fire would be the obvious main competitor in the budget-conscious end of the tablet market, and with a $199 price tag, it sells in millions of units per quarter. If Google wants to take on the Kindle Fire, a price within the $199 range or lower should indeed be a key goal.

Which Feature Gets the Axe?

The question remains, however, which of the rumored features would be sacrificed for a lower price tag. Google may be forced to lose the Tegra 3 quad-core processor in favor of a more affordable dual-core processor, which is fairly standard, or it may consider compromises in design or screen quality.

Hopefully, in a few months we'll see a brand new Google-Asus tablet to solve the mystery.

(reported by Alexandra Burlacu, edited by Surojit Chatterjee)