The competition for the much-desired title of ‘iPad Killer’ is hotting up, and analysts and bookies are paying close attention to the race. Bookmaker.com sets the odds for the next company to release a tablet PC in 2010 as the following:
  • LG                               +300    25%
  • HTC                            +100    50%
  • SHARP                       +300    25%
  • MOTOROLA            +300    25%
  • NOKIA                       +150    40%
  • SANYO                       +300    25%
HTC is the current favorite, with a strong foothold on the Android device market, and analysts think HTC are ready to release a larger version sometime soon. Two obvious absentees from the list are HP and RIM, both of whom are rumored to be releasing tablets soon. Apple has been surprisingly tricky for OEM manufacturers to keep up with in the tablet market. The iPad is competitively priced and well targeted, and while the big name PC manufacturers would love a piece of the market, no one company seems to be willing to swing for the fences.