Hyundai to launch tablet production in Russia

Moscow: South Korean company Hyundai will launch tablet computer production under its brand name in Russia, with sales expected from autumn 2012.

"We are preparing to start sales at the Russian market (in September). We signed the first distribution agreement with Tekhnotreid firm last week and we are looking for other distributors," a Hyundai official told the gazeta.ru online newspaper.

Hyundai will provide two seven-inch tablet models, one model with 9.7-inch screen and one with 10.1-inch screen working on the Android Ice Cream Sandwich mobile operating system.

Hyundai will provide two seven-inch tablet models, one model with 9.7-inch screen and one with 10.1-inch screen.

Each model will have 1 GB RAM and 8 GB onboard memory, and will support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions, said Dmitry Ryabinin, chief analyst of the Hi-Tech@Mail.Ru website.

The South Korean company is looking to produce the first batches of tablet computers in China by October 2012 and then re-deploy its facilities to Russia.

If sales reach 200,000 tablets in the first year, Hyundai may build a plant in Russia, a source said.

Ryabinin also said that it would, however, be difficult for Hyundai to take a significant share of the tablet market due to strong competition from other producers.

The tablets could cost from 7,000 rubles ($213) to 12,000 rubles ($365).

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