Google is reportedly working on a rather strange device, an experimental tablet capable of capturing 3D images.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Google is planning a limited prototype production run and it will start building 4,000 prototypes next month. It is not a Nexus tablet, it is prototype designed by the Project Tango team.
The tablet is said to feature two rear facing cameras backed by infrared depth sensors and advanced imaging software. The cameras and the sensors can track objects in 3D, effectively mapping the environment around the tablet. Additional features such as advanced depth of field effects should be possible with the added sensors.
It all sounds a bit weird, since tablets are not the ideal platform for imaging. They are simply not as practical as smartphones and the rumour points to a 7-inch device, which is odd. The company’s next Nexus tablet is rumoured to be an 8-incher and many vendors are dropping 7-inch tablets in favour of 8-inchers, except in the low-end segment.
However, the Project Tango tablet sounds like a tech demo rather than an actual mass market design.