SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A small tablet computer bearing Google’s brand is expected Wednesday.

If speculation about the long-rumored device pans out, the Google tablet is likely be seen more of a threat to Amazon.com Inc.’s Kindle Fire than Apple Inc.’s top-selling iPad. More details should emerge Wednesday during a conference in San Francisco.

Like the Kindle Fire, the Google tablet is believed to have a 7-inch screen, measured diagonally — smaller than the iPad’s nearly 10-inch display. If it’s the smaller size, Google Inc.’s tablet probably would be in the same price range as the Kindle Fire, which sells for $199.

A Google expansion into the tablet market would bring another imposing entrant into what is already a battle of tech heavyweights. Last week, Microsoft Corp. announced its own tablet, Surface.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.