Looking past the Galaxy Nexus for a moment, it looks like Google is going to continue the stock experience of ICS into tablets. The rumor mill is full of possible manufacturers, including ASUS, Motorola, and Samsung.
The Samsung rumor at first seems to be the most logical, after all they have been the manufacturer behind the last two Nexus handsets, including the Galaxy Nexus. That is also the reason we do not believe it, as Google is not really in a place to to keep handing business to only one of their partners in the Android space.
The same argument rules out Motorola from this run, the reality being that with all the hype around Google’s acquisition of Motorola, they cannot afford to give off the impression that they are already moving away from supporting other hardware makers.
This leaves the ASUS rumor, which when broken down makes a lot of sense. The reality is that Google needs to release something closer in price point to the Kindle Fire than the Galaxy Tab, and ASUS is more than capable of doing so. In comparison, brands like Samsung and Motorola are likely concerned about diminishing their brand by making a cheaper tablet.
If the rumors are true, we could all be enhancing our ICS experience with a 7 inch tablet at around $200 USD, by the end of April.
