The Android tablet market has had its ups and downs lately, and the latest report indicates that Google may be giving up on making its own slates soon.
After years of on-again, off-again interest in the tablet market, the tech giant has reportedly decided to cancel its Pixel Tablet 3, codenamed ‘Kiyomi,’ according to Android Headlines.
The move has sparked speculation about Google’s future – or lack thereof – in the tablet space. What’s more, we recently witnessed the launch of the Galaxy Tab S10 series, which dropped the entry-level model.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Android Headlines reports that the Pixel Tablet 3’s development was scrapped just last week, with internal teams informed of the decision shortly thereafter.
Employees assigned to the project have reportedly already been reassigned to other initiatives within Google, signalling a clear shift in the company’s hardware priorities.
This news follows the 2023 release of the Pixel Tablet, Google’s first attempt to re-enter the tablet market after a hiatus that began in 2019.
However, the decision to cancel its successor indicates that the Pixel Tablet 2, slated for release next year, may be Google’s final foray into tablets for the foreseeable future.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The cancellation of the Pixel Tablet 3 raises questions about Google’s overall strategy.
It comes hot on the heels of the rumour that the company could combine ChromeOS with Android to make Android tablets a better rival to the iPad.
Android Headlines also reports that Google might be working on the first Pixel Laptop.
This could mark a significant departure from its current hardware roadmap and a concession of the tablet space to competitors.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
While Android continues to develop tablet-friendly features, the hardware side of Google’s tablet ambitions appears to be fizzling out once more.
The Pixel Tablet 2, recently rumoured to include a first-party keyboard case, may now launch under the shadow of being the last of its kind, with no planned successor.
However, this year’s launch of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold could mean that Google wants to bet on foldable phones that, when opened, resemble tablet. Plus, they often have extra features and are more powerful.
Whether this will turn out to be the case, however, time will tell. In the meantime, be sure to check out what we expect from the upcoming Pixel 10 series next year.
