Rebecca Hawkes | 06-08-2013
The next version of the low-cost tablet Aakash should be available by January 2014, following the finalisation of its specifications by the Indian Government, the Telecom and IT Minister, Kapil Sibal, has announced.
"The generation 4 Aakash is ready, all the specifications are frozen," Sibal told reporters at a telecommunications conference in New Delhi.
Around 12 manufacturers from around the globe are ready to make the Android-based tablet in India, the minister added.
The Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D) will now start the process for orders of the tablet, which is expected to support 4G services, have integrated phone calling, 4GB of in-built storage and Bluetooth connectivity.
The original Aakash, which launched in October 2011, was promoted by the Indian Government as part of an initiative to link 25,000 colleges and 400 universities in an e-learning programme. Produced by British company DataWind, the Aakash was manufactured by the India-based company Quad in Hyderabad.
