According to a report, the Google Pixel Tablet 2 has been cancelled. The new tablet was in line for a collection of hardware updates, but it's unclear exactly how it was to be positioned.
Whether Google will launch other Pixel tablets in future currently remains unknown.
If you’ve been waiting for the Pixel Tablet 2 then there’s some bad news – it seems that Google has cancelled the follow-up device.
Only recently, we were reporting on the news that the company was planning to fix one of the major annoyances with the original device, but now it seems that the Pixel Tablet 2 isn’t going to be launched at all.
The news comes from Android Authority, which reports from a source inside Google, where we learn a lot about the device that is no more. And, as it happens, it seems that the Pixel Tablet 2 was on course to be a great iPad alternative, addressing the problems highlighted with the original Pixel Tablet.
First of all, there was the keyboard that we previously mentioned, but also a move to more powerful hardware in Tensor G4. There was also a plan to include 5G in the Pixel Tablet 2, which would have opened up its use cases, but perhaps move away from its original positioning as a device for the home.
That perhaps is at the route of the problem here: we also learn that there were plans for GPS, which might be useful for locations when out and about, but the inclusion of a Thread radio for smart home functionality points to a device that’s designed to stay at home, docked, like the original model.
That raises the question of what the Pixel Tablet is supposed to be. It launched with a unique selling point with that speaker dock in the box, long before you could just buy the tablet on its own. Now we’re looking at a mixture of features, some suggesting it's going to move towards being a more conventional productivity-enabled device for working or entertainment on the move, but other features suggesting it wants to be the centre of your smart home.
Pixel Tablet 2 hardware updates
Apart from the changes above, it’s said that the Pixel Tablet 2 was destined for a 120Hz display, sticking to the LCD technology used before rather than moving towards anything more fancy. A minor bump in the brightness was also on the cards.
This would be supported by better cameras, including a sensor upgrade for the selfie camera to improve Google Meets calls, but at the same time, face unlock was never planned as an option. Having used the iPad Pro, face unlock is a really attractive feature on a tablet, so why the omission?
The fact that this tablet now seems to have been consigned to the recycle bin is a surprise: Google has talked at length about improving the big screen experience for Android users, and the Pixel Tablet was supposed to be part of that strategy. However, with little action on the Nest Home devices and most of the focus on Pixel phones, it feels like Google’s triumphant return to tablets has faltered.
