While over-all sales of tablet devices are steadily declining in the past few quarters, manufacturers are still continuing to develop new models for the struggling device market. For instance, Apple is reported to launch a new 12.9-inch iPad pro and Microsoft is rumored to unveil high-end Surface Pro 4 slate. Furthermore, Samsung is even speculated to unveil two new tablets, one them said to be powered by Windows 10.
Now, according to a recent post by tech site DigiTimes, Acer is also planning to enter the arena by launching a special kind of tablet. Acer is a Taiwan-based company known for manufacturing PCs and laptops. If this report is accurate, the device maker may have already started producing the Acer Predator 8 tablet, a device aimed towards the mobile gaming niche.
The Predator 8 is Acer's first gaming tablet and will be its frontrunner in a product category arguably dominated by the Nvidia Shield tablet. According to the DigiTimes report, Acer isn't actually expecting the device to have massive sales. Instead, the company will launch it in order to establish its presence in the gaming market.
For those who've been following the mobile gaming scene, they may have already heard about the Acer Predator 8 earlier this year. The Taiwanese electronics firm already teased the tablet during the Computex 2015 event in Taipei back in April.
We've learned that the gaming-oriented device will be powered by Intel's Atom Z8700 chipset, which is a quad-core SoC (system-on-chip) clocked at a maximum of 2.4 GHz. Although the RAM isn't detailed, it's expected to have 4GB to accommodate the demands of HD games. As its name implies, it will feature an 8-inch display with an undisclosed resolution.
It will have dual cameras but nothing is known about its sensors. Folks from Engadget predicts that Acer will opt for an Android operating system once the device is launched.
Furthermore, the tablet won't have any physical button so gamers may have to rely entirely on its touch interface. However, the Acer Predator 8 will likely be integrated with tactile feedback so as to have an edge against the Nvidia Shield.
The company's CEO previously mentioned that the tablet will be equipped with a type of haptic feedback technology so users can experience some level of immersion which they have come to associate with keyboards and game controllers.
Since the Acer Predator 8 has been already reported to enter mass production, it won't be long until it reaches online and offline store shelves. Acer is expected to conduct an international launch sometime during the fourth quarter of 2015.
