#NEWS: Sprint plans multiple tablets in 2011, mum on iPad

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A top Sprint executive revealed it will bring out more tablet PCs in 2011 to cater to customer demand. In an interview with Reuters published on Thursday, Sprint business markets President Paget Alves revealed these same customers are looking to replace their larger and more expensive notebooks with the smaller devices. According to the President, tablets are proving more popular than any other consumer electronics product.

Specifically, staff such as salespeople can benefit greatly from tablets, as they usually only need to see spreadsheets and not create them.

"We expect to have a broad portfolio of tablets in 2011," Alves said.

Alves did not name any specific tablets the provider will add to its offerings in 2011, including Apple's iPad or RIM's PlayBook. Thus far, Sprint only offers the seven-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab. The exec believed that as many as 12 new tablets will be introduced at the CES show in January, though only some may reach Sprint at best.

Company chief Dan Hesse has been unusually elusive on any prospective deals with Apple, neither confirming nor denying talks but instead saying he isn't allowed to discuss anything. The company didn't get the same option to sell the iPad directly as Verizon and AT&T, raising suspicions that Verizon paid for a semi-exclusive where only it and AT&T are allowed to sell Apple devices in the US.

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