Google’s Pixel tablet is on the way, set to launch this year, and it looks like an intriguing slate with speaker docking and the company’s Tensor G2 chipset. Here’s what we know so far, including official or leaked information and images.
That’s right, another own-brand Google tablet is finally on the way, nearly a decade after the company launched the original Nexus 7 with help from Asus and the first since 2015 unique Pixel C that arrived. with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The Nexus is one of the best tablets of all time, but can the search giant replicate that success in an age when iPads are synonymous with tablets?
The device was originally announced in May 2022 and there have been a number of developments since then.
What is the release date of the Pixel tablet?
- 2023
- Probably reveal at Google I/0 in May
Although Google has confirmed its return to the tablet market, there’s a wait for fans as the device won’t arrive until later this year – and we don’t know how much later.
During I/O 2022, the firm simply said it would share more details in 2023. On stage, Rick Osterloh said, “We’re aiming to have it available next year,” which doesn’t rule out that be late and arrive in 2024, but hopefully it won’t come to that.
Assuming Google doesn’t run into any issues, we’d expect it to be unveiled properly at Google I/O 2023 alongside the Pixel 7a – due May 10 – or the usual October event where Android 14 – and probably the Pixel 8 – should arrive.
Will there be a Pixel Tablet Pro?
For a while there have been rumors of a Pro version of the Pixel Tablet. This largely comes from 9to5Google spotting the term “tangorpro” in Android 13 code.
As the standard Pixel tablet is codenamed ‘tangor’, this was a logical conclusion and more evidence was found as Google shortened ‘tangor’ to ‘t6’ and the Android 13 code also mentions ‘t6pro’.
However, new information suggests that the Pro model of the Pixel tablet will actually be the only one released, although it’s unlikely to go by the ‘Pro’ moniker, as it would be weird if it were. of an only child. Essentially, Google was working on one model with the original Tensor chipset and another with the Tensor G2 found in Pixel 7.
There were apparently no other differences between the two devices and the former was canceled leaving the more powerful tangorpro model. That makes sense considering how late a tablet with the original Tensor chip would be once Google launched the device.
The news comes from Kuba Wojciechowski on Twitter which also states that the device will not only ship with the speaker dock shown below, but also a single-charging version. He also got information about the specs of the Pixel tablet which you can read below.
How much will the Pixel tablet cost?
With the Pixel tablet still a long way off, it’s no surprise that Google hasn’t specified how much it will cost.
During the I/O keynote, the device was referred to as “premium,” which could refer to cost or possibly hardware.
From what we know so far, it certainly doesn’t appear to be a rival to the iPad Pro or Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra range, so it would be wise for Google to aim for an affordable price. The Pixel Slate line was overpriced, and the Pixel 6 phones succeeded largely thanks to competitive pricing.
For the Pixel tablet to be successful, it would need to be priced close to or below the 2021 iPad which is £319/$329 (since upped to £369 in the UK) and the new 10th Gen iPad is £499 £/$449, so Google should be able to undercut that.
What are the specs of the Pixel tablet?
- Tensor G2 chip
- Four speakers
- POGO pin connector for speaker dock
- USB-C
- Two 8Mp cameras
We already know a few things about the Pixel tablet. The first is that the Pixel tablet is powered by the same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones.
It’s a powerful chip, but Google doesn’t really intend to win on benchmark scores and instead aims to deliver smart and useful features through AI and machine learning.
Exactly what the Pixel tablet will offer in this area remains to be seen, but it should be similar to the Pixel 7 phones. Google just said it would mean you get the same video calls, hands-free assistant and photo editing.
The other key tidbit about the Pixel tablet is that it will have a “charging speaker dock” (possibly optional) that will not only keep the device charged, but turn it into a smart display very similar to the Nest Hub Max so you can do all sorts of things like easily control smart home devices around the house and use the display as a digital photo frame when not actively in use.
This explains the POGO pin connection on the back of the tablet, and while we’ve seen efforts to do something similar in the Lenovo Smart Tab P10 and Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus, Google looks like the implementation is the easier so far.
“We’ve taken care to tune the magnets in the dock so you can easily dock or undock your Pixel tablet. And when it’s in your hand, the premium nano-ceramic finish is both beautiful and comfortable to hold. hold,” Google said.
One of the first leaks we’ve seen for the Pixel tablet is via Snoopy Tech (see below) and shows the ‘Google Pixel Tablet Stand’ from multiple angles and it’s exactly as expected, matching official images from Google. The device has four pogo pins for charging, a fabric cover, a “G” logo on the back, and a power input. It’s basically the Google Home Hub Max without the screen.
Whether or not this is the charging speaker dock mentioned by Google is unclear. It could just be a charging station without built-in audio. Meanwhile, 9to5Google reports that the Google Home app reveals the Pixel tablet will have “hub mode” when docked and a physical connection is required to stream content to the device.
The speaker dock can be assigned to a room in the Google Home app, as you’d expect. It is possible that it can be used as a speakerphone when the Pixel tablet is not connected.
On the design side, there are two colors: a green model and a pale beige/peach tone. Google says it uses premium materials and finishes with smooth rounded corners.
A “nano-ceramic” coating takes inspiration from fine china and sees ceramic particles infused into the coating which is applied to the aluminum body, which, like the Pixel 7 phones, is 100% recycled.
The screen has a bezel around the edge and there appears to be a quad-speaker audio system with two drivers at each end of the slate. There’s also a USB-C port, of course.
For another look at hardware, a device that is allegedly a Pixel tablet briefly appeared on Facebook Marketplace, and the listing images were since shared on Twitter. It appears to show a device that matches what we’ve seen so far, including the speaker dock, but of course we can’t guarantee that it’s not a fake.
The Pixel tablet may come with UWB (ultra wideband) connectivity. An FFC listing for the ‘GTU8P’ – spotted by 9to5Google and believed to be the Pixel tablet, reveals this information.
For starters, the listing is a positive step towards the launch of the device, but the inclusion of UWB is interesting. It’s used on Pixel phones for things like being a digital car key, but on the tablet it might be more useful. A Tap to Transfer feature would be similar to Apple’s method of “streaming” music from an iPhone to HomePod.
You may be able to tap it with your compatible phone to transfer audio or possibly video as well. It might also be useful in Google’s upcoming Network Finder to locate devices.
We haven’t had detailed hardware specs yet, but from the brief overview Google gave us earlier in the year, we can conclude that the tablet has front and rear cameras to begin with.
Information obtained from version 8.5 of the Google Camera app for Pixel smartphones, spotted by 9to5Google, gives us a bit more information about these cameras.
The app code mainly tells what the Pixel tablet won’t have, starting with 4K video recording at 60 fps and most likely no 4K at all. It seems that the device also does not offer audio zoom, slow motion videos or pan action shots.
We also know potentially, via Kuba Wojciechowski on Twitter that the cameras on the Pixel tablet will both be Sony IMX355 sensors. It’s the same 8Mp sensor found on the Pixel 6’s selfie camera.
Wojciechowski also reported via 91Mobiles that the tablet will have a 10.95-inch screen. That size means it could be very close to the same dimensions as Apple’s iPad Air, and the design Google has shown supports it with rounded corners on the screen.
The leaker added that the tablet will support WiFi 6 and come with either 128GB or 256GB storage. They also spotted the existence of a Google-made stylus.
Additionally, Wojciechowski also learned that the Pixel tablet will have 8GB of Samsung LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of Kioxia UFS storage along with a 2560×1600 resolution display that likely won’t be an OLED panel but rather an LCD.
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