Sony takes on Apple as it unveils its first tablet PC

The Japanese electronics maker Sony has announced its first foray into the popular tablet PC market, unveiling two new devices.

The gadgets will use Google's Android operating system, according to the company's deputy president Kunimasa Suzuki. 

Sales of tablet PCs have been booming globally, led by the success of Apple's ipad. 

Sony has said it wants to become a leading player in the market. 

The success of ipad has seen many consumer electronics companies, like Samsung and HTC, launch their own versions of the tablet PC in an effort to capture a share of the growing market. 

'Ambitious goal'
 

According to research firm Gartner, sales of tablet PCs are likely to quadruple in the next four years to almost 294m units. 

Sony has indicated that it is aiming to become the second largest player in the segment behind Apple within one year. 

However, analysts say that Sony will find it tough to achieve that target.

"They don't have the starting advantage," said Manoj Menon of Frost & Sullivan.

"It is going to become an increasingly crowded market place and given the players, it is a fairly ambitious goal," he added.