The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that Sony may be ready to challenge Apple in the booming tablet marketplace. According to the report, Sony is actively developing a “portable device that shares characteristics of netbook computers, e-book readers and hand-held game machines.”
If a rival Sony tablet ultimately emerges, it could represent significant competition to the iPad, which until now, has dominated the market as a lone titan in the realm of tablet computers.
Sony’s CFO, Nobuyuki Oneda, says that Sony practically has an obligation to tackle this burgeoning new consumer demand. According to Oneda, Sony “has to develop a device similar to Apple’s iPad tablet computer, because it is a different product category than the company’s existing electronic-book reader.”
A Sony product of this nature would likely emphasize a diverse range of functionalities capable of pleasing everyone from book readers to video game junkies.
While there is no estimated time frame given by Sony as to when a possible Sony tablet computer would be released, the public speculation about Sony competing with Apple may be provide the impetus necessary for other consumer electronics makers to similarly jump into the tablet pool and create more platforms upon which mobile marketers will likely capitalize with great expedience.
