Acer alludes low-priced 8- and 10-inch tablets are in the works

Acer Iconia B1
Like the Iconia B1, but bigger and faster

Acer has two new low-cost tablets on the way, according to a Tuesday report from the China Times.

According to the Chinese site (as translated by Google), Acer's president in Greater China, Linxian Lang, revealed plans to release 8- and 10-inch tablets at "aggressive" price points.

Acer's new budget slates will follow in the footsteps of the Iconia B1, a 7-incher that goes for UK£99, though it's not available in the U.S.

The new devices will reportedly feature quad-core MediaTek processors that will provide a speed boost over the Iconia B1's dual-core MediaTek.

U.S. release

TechRadar asked an Acer rep for further comment on Tuesday's report and we will update this story if and when the company responds.

It's also unclear whether the tablets that Lang hinted at will ever make it to the U.S.; despite rumors that the Iconia B1 would be released in Europe, Engadget reports that it's "been ruled out" for a U.S. release.

TechRadar is hoping to get confirmation on that point from Acer as well.

Year of the budget tablets

Going by the Google Translate transcript of the original China Times article, Acer's new budget 8- and 10-inch tablets will apparently "revive the tablet momentum" of the company.

Lang expects Acer's overall tablet shipments to increase in 2013 in part, it seems, due to the new low-price tablets that will put forth.

Acer probably won't be the only company releasing budget tablets in 2013, though; a cheaper Nexus 7 has been rumored for some time, and more are sure to follow in Google's and Acer's footsteps.

Especially if Acer's new budget tablets are as successful as they seem to think they'll be.

Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.


Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.