Asus already makes Google's popular Nexus 7 tablet and it looks like Google is going to recruit the company for the Nexus 10 as well. Originally manufactured by Samsung, word is that the second generation Nexus 10 will actually be an Asus product. Geek.com cites multiple sources that say the new Nexus 10 will be an Asus product. The site is also in possession of a photo of a retailer's POS system that shows a 16 GB Asus-manufactured Nexus 10.
If true, the news says a lot about the strength of Google's relationship with Asus. It's also a blow for Samsung, which also lost out on the contract for the latest Nexus phone. Samsung made the Nexus S and the Galaxy Nexus, but Google went with LG for the budget-friendly Nexus 4.
Google doesn't talk about its Nexus partnerships all that often, so it's hard to know what prompted the decision. It's possible Samsung couldn't get the cost of the devices down to a point that Google was happy with, as the search giant seems to be pushing for low cost tablets and smartphones with its most recent Nexus devices. When Samsung was making the phones, they were priced in line with other off-contract smartphones. The Nexus 4 undercut the competition when it launched at the incredibly competitive price of $299.
Google is rumored to be launching the new Nexus 10 in time for the holiday shopping season (and in time to compete with Amazon's new Kindle Fire tablets). We'll keep you posted!
