Tesco already has a presence in the mobile world with their phone network, but the company hasn’t made any significant steps into the hardware market itself. That is about to change, with the announcement this morning that they will be launching their own tablet hardware in the form of the Hudl.

Out of the box, Hudl will run Android Jellybean 4.2.2 software. It will come with a 1440 x 900 HD screen and 16GB of internal storage, expandable to 48GB with microSD cards. It will come in four different colours - black, blue, red and purple - and also a micro-HDMI port so it can be hooked up to TVs and monitors. The device is Wi-Fi only.

Video seems to be one of the major focuses of the tablet, with the press release claiming the tablet will offer 9 hours worth of battery life when watching videos. As is to be expected, Hudl will offer easy access to many of Tesco’s digital services such as online shopping and banking. It will also support Blinkbox, the video-on-demand service procured by the supermarket in 2011.

The company is aiming for a low-price and mass market, with Hudl retailing at £119 (€141) and Tesco is promising further discounts for Clubcard owners. Tesco CEO Philip Clarke explains “the digital revolution should be for the many, not for the few.” Hudl will be available in stores and online.

Tesco is not the first high-profile retailer to enter the tablet market. Amazon has expanded its Kindle range of e-book readers to include dedicated tablets like the low-cost Kindle Fire and its HD variants.