14 DAY TRIAL // The tablet market has become an increasingly competitive place, where one has to fight in order to stay alive. To be able to do so, big brand names like Amazon, Google, Asus or Samsung race to release affordable 7-inch slates to suit the heart and wallet of every consumer out there.
But in this frenzy, China-based white-box manufacturer forced to reduce their offerings even more to avoid being left high and dry, claims recent information provided by DigiTimes. This process is apparently also stimulating demand for tablets, which is a good thing. White-box devices are units without a well-known brand name attached to them.
For example in Taiwan, Acer and Asus’ offers include 7-inch models that bear a price tag under $169 / €165 while MSI has even cheaper slates below $135 / €100. So, in order to be able to remain in the game, white-box players had to chop prices below the $67 / €50 margin.
In the US, things seem to be moving in a similar direction. For example, supermarket giant Walmart offers a diverse line of up to 172 different no-name tablets. Customers looking for a budget tablet can get a slate powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core ARM A9 processor for the price of $99 / €67.
To give shoppers more attractive deals, some models even come with an additional keyboard and protective cover.