Asus Transformer Prime 3G plans denied

Posted on 18 Jan 2012 at 11:54

Asus has confirmed that it has no plans to launch a version of its Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet with in-built mobile broadband connectivity, quashing rumours that such a device was in the pipeline.

While the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, an Android-based tablet featuring a clever battery-backed keyboard docking station and Nvidia's high-performance Tegra 3 quad-core processor, is proving popular, many have questioned whether a newer model featuring integrated 3G mobile broadband connectivity is on the way.

Such a release would echo Apple's approach, whereby Wi-Fi only models co-exist alongside 3G-enabled models selling at a higher price and requiring a monthly subscription for data access.

While such devices are more expensive - both to buy and to run - they have proven popular with those who find themselves needing to get on-line in places where there are no Wi-Fi hotspots available.

Sadly, Asus has announced that it has no such plans; the Wi-Fi Transformer Prime will be the only model released in the foreseeable future, leaving those who want true on-the-go internet access to use Android's in-built tethering functionality to connect via a compatible smartphone device instead.

In a statement to Focus Taiwan, the company explained that reports of an impending Transformer Prime 3G launch were inaccurate, and that "no such product exists on [its] current roadmap".

The news will come as a blow to those who have been waiting patiently for the company to embrace mobile broadband in its tablet line-up, but all is not lost: the company's upcoming Padfone product, which combines a tablet-style docking station with an Android-powered smartphone, will offer the connectivity they have been craving.

Author: Gareth Halfacree

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