Google and Samsung said to be working on 10-inch iPad contender

Nearly three years after breathing new life into the space, Apple has remained largely uncontested in the field of tablets. We’ve seen slates from RIM, the now defunct Palm, and countless Android manufacturers, and none of them have been able to take the iPad head-on.

But it looks like Google is looking to change that. According to a new report, the search giant is teaming up with Samsung to create a high-end, 10-inch tablet aimed squarely at Apple’s iPad. And one of its headlining features is said to be a stunning 300 PPI display…

CNET reports:

“A Google Nexus 10-inch class tablet is in the works, CNET has learned.

The 10.1-inch tablet will boast a pixel density that is higher than Apple’s third-generation iPad, said Richard Shim, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch.

The 2,560×1,600 display will have a PPI (pixels per inch) of about 299, said Shim. That tops the 264 PPI on the 9.7-inch 2,048×1,536 Retina iPad.”

Shim says the information comes from highly reliable supply chain sources, meaning parts for the tablet are already moving. But he isn’t sure of a release date. He is, however, able to confirm the rumor that Google will start production on a $99 tablet in December.

Apple, for its part, is also said to have some new tablets in the works. The company is widely expected to unveil a smaller iPad mini later this month, and we’ve heard consistent rumors that it’s planning to unveil a revamped third generation iPad in the near future as well.

A high-end Google-Samsung slate could be just what Android needs to be taken seriously in the tablet space. But would it be enough to knock Apple’s iPad out of the top spot?

What do you think?