Google to tap LG for Nexus tablet?

Following in the footsteps of Google’s Nexus One and Nexus S flagship smartphones, it appears that the company may also be planning for a Nexus tablet device — and this time around, it may be tapping LG to be its manufacturing partner, CrunchGear reports.

While still a rumor, a Nexus tablet would make sense for Google. Both Nexus phones served to dictate features that Google wanted other Android manufacturers to follow, and they also offered “pure Google experiences” — meaning they didn’t have any third-party software that would distract from the Android user experience, which made them compelling to developers.

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Just like it did with HTC (for the Nexus One) and Samsung (for the Nexus S), Google would likely work closely with LG to develop the Nexus tablet. It would most likely be optimized for Android 3.0 “Honeycomb,” and would be free of the software issues that have been plaguing Motorola’s Xoom, the first Honeycomb tablet on the market.

At first glance, LG seems like an odd choice for Google to rely on for a flagship tablet. The company’s inexpensive Optimus One Android phones have been a hit with price-conscious consumers, and it’s also bringing the 3D-capable G-Slate tablet to T-Mobile (pictured above), but LG has yet to prove that it can deliver a flagship mobile device.

Then again, by taking LG under its wing, Google could also be helping the company to deliver better Android products in the future. That’s likely why Google has been jumping between manufacturers for its Nexus phones — by not playing favorites, Google is also helping budding manufacturers catch up to more established Android competitors.

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