The New Google Pixel Tablet: Another Android Attempt at an iPad-Killer
Google's next tablet could be right around the corner. Here's what to expect.
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
Google's got a new tablet coming. Is it right around the corner?
Google made it known last year that a new Pixel Tablet is coming in 2023. Powered by Google's own Tensor chipset, it could be a lot more powerful than previous Google tablet efforts. Google hasn't had a marquee tablet since the Pixel Slate, which was an unsuccessful attempt to blend Chromebooks with tablets and came with its own keyboard.
With Google's I/O developer conference around the corner, this is how the Pixel Tablet could end up being a centerpiece of the company's shift in strategy, and how it could work in hot buzzword topics like AI.
Is it a home hub?
Apple is reportedly planning a home hub dock for the iPad sometime in the next year. But in the meantime, Google could make the first move. Really, Google already has: The Nest home hubs have been living room tablets for a while.
The first glimpses Google offered of its Pixel Tablet have been with a new dock that props it up just like a Nest product. And, maybe, that's its biggest purpose. Google hardware head Rick Osterloh has already referred to it as a living room device, and Google could emphasize video calls, home controls and family access as its biggest draws.
AI, AI, AI
There's an AI war going on, and Google has been in the thick of it. The company's generative AI project, Bard, just recently launched to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT. Google's always been an AI company, and Pixel products are often showcases of new software features that sometimes make their way to other products.
Google's Tensor G2 chip is already machine learning-optimized, and Google could announce new AI features on the upcoming Pixel phones and Pixel Tablet that aim to set it apart from the iPad.
Apple's been way behind in the new generative AI landscape, and Siri can't do most of the things ChatGPT or Bard (or Bing) does. Could Google apply new ways to use generative AI on tablets? We'll find out.
What about the kids?
Most families I know think of iPads as kid devices. Google has a long history of kid-targeted tech, especially when it comes to Chromebooks. It's hard to get a sense at the moment where Google is heading with kid tech, though. Google stopped making its own Chromebook hardware, and Android tablets aren't much closer to Chromebooks than they were years ago. Will Google even position the Pixel Tablet toward kids at all? We don't know the price, or enough details about its OS and software. The signs right now point more to shared family use than any focus on being a kid-friendly device.
Read more: The Best Tablets of 2023
The Pixel Tablet, teased with Google's other products last fall.
Will there be other accessories?
The Pixel Tablet has only been shown with its magnetic speaker dock so far, which clearly positions the combined devices as a home hub. But what about keyboards or protective travel cases? Apple's iPad lineup, and Samsung's tablets, emphasize practical keyboard accessories for work. Google's last Pixel Slate had a keyboard, too. It would make obvious sense with the Pixel tablet to have a keyboard option, but not everything always makes sense in Googleland.
What about Fitbit?
Google has been folding wellness and health into its other products, and Fitbit emerged in a Pixel product last fall in the form of a watch. Fitbit and Google wearables head James Park told CNET that Fitbit's services will appear in other forms and products, and the Nest Hub already experimentally tracks sleep. Will the Pixel Tablet do more?
How much will it cost?
Expect a lower price for the Pixel Tablet, although low is a relative word. Apple's iPads have been increasing in price, although they still start around $300. Anything above that for Google could be seen as expensive, depending on how capable the Pixel Tablet is. If it does everything a Chromebook can, and maybe adds some other useful software features, maybe it could flex into a different price. Hopefully it'll stay affordable, especially since Nest Hubs sell for under $200.
Google's I/O conference is happening May 10: CNET will be there covering the event, and you can watch here.