Rebtel announces the launch of Rebtel 2.0 for Android tablets. The app is available for free starting today on Google Play and enables anyone to make high quality Rebtel to Rebtel calls for free over Wi-Fi or 3G. Today’s introduction of the Android tablet app joins Rebtel’s existing app offerings available for Android, iPhone, PC, and iPad.

“We expect the market for Android tablets to see significant increases in the next five years, and our latest product will immediately benefit millions of users who are looking to offset costly international calling rates associated with their traditional service providers,” says Andreas Bernstrom, CEO at Rebtel.

The company’s announcement of Rebtel 2.0 for Android tablets coincides with recent projections by research firm IDC that the Android tablet market share will experience major increases in Q2 2012, as distributors roll out Android tablet devices at lower costs. Display Research recently released similar research, stating that tablet shipments are projected to grow from 81.6 million shipments in 2011 to 429.9 million shipments in 2017.

Bernstrom continued: “The introduction of Rebtel 2.0 for Android phones last December helped to drive a 96.2 percent approval rating from our customers, and we expect this will have a similar result in satisfying the needs of our customers and the growing demand for true cross-platform interoperability across all our products.”

According to a recent study from Nielsen, 77 percent of tablet owners stated they use their tablet devices for tasks they previously relied on their computer for. Based on the assumption that most will users hold on to their tablets for at least a few years, Forrester Research also predicts there will be 760 million tablets in use globally by 2016.

Android tablet users can benefit from the following features and options:

Optimized Tablet Experience

Inspired by Rebtel 2.0 for Android smartphones, the new Android tablet app features optimized high-resolution graphics and takes full advantage of the larger tablet screen real estate to give the user an immersive Rebtel experience.

Free Rebtel to Rebtel Calls

Rebtel 2.0 for Android tablets incorporates free calling between users running any one of Rebtel’s apps for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android smartphones, PC, or starting today, Android tablets. Calls are seamlessly connected using Wi-Fi or 3G (applicable to 3G-enabled Android tablets only).

Low-Cost Calls to Any Phone

Users of the Rebtel Android tablet app are not limited to our free Rebtel to Rebtel calls. Browse through your native tablet address book, select any contact with a number and get talking at rates up to 98 percent lower than an average carrier, and up to 60 percent lower than current Skype Out rates.

Native Address Book Integration

No more syncing issues that mess up your address book. Rebtel for Android tablets seamlessly integrates with the regular native Android address book, providing a clear view of which contacts are available to call for free, and which contacts can be reached at very affordable rates.

Low-Cost SMS

Prefer texting over talking? Send low-cost international text messages to friends in more than 196 countries with an average cost savings of up to 60 percent when compared to your regular carrier. If you want to ensure your friend can reply without being charged, tick the Collect Reply box and include a link in your message that lets your friend reply via a mobile web page while you pick up the tab.

Rebtel for Android tablets is available for free starting today in Google Play. To download the app, visit here.