Google’s Pixel tablet is on the way, set to launch this year and it looks like an intriguing slate with a speaker docking system and the firm’s Tensor G2 chipset. Here’s what we know so far, including official or leaked information and images.
It’s true, another own-brand Google tablet is finally on the way, almost a decade after the firm launched the original Nexus 7 with some help from Asus and the first since 2015’s one-off Pixel C which 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 a time when iPads are synonymous with tablets?
The device was initially announced back in May 2022 and there have been a number of developments since.
When is the Pixel Tablet release date?
- 2023
- Reveal likely at Google I/0 in May
Although Google confirmed its return to the tablet market, there’s a wait in store for fans as the device won’t arrive until later this year – and we don’t know how much later.
At I/O 2022, the firm simply said that it will share more details in 2023. On stage, Rick Osterloh said “We’re aiming to make it available next year,” which doesn’t rule out it running late and arriving in 2024 but we hope it doesn’t come to that.
Assuming Google doesn’t run into problems, we’d expect it to get a proper unveiling at Google I/O 2023 alongside the Pixel 7a – scheduled for 10 May – 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 rumours of a Pro version of the Pixel Tablet. This largely came from 9to5Google spotting the term ‘tangorpro’ in the Android 13 code.
As the regular Pixel Tablet is codenamed ‘tangor’ it 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 in fact be the only one released, though it’s unlikely to have the ‘Pro’ moniker because that would be weird if it’s an only child. Essentially, Google was working on a model with the original Tensor chipset and one with the Tensor G2 found in Pixel 7.
There were supposedly no other differences between the two devices and the former has been cancelled, leaving the more powerful tangorpro model. This makes sense considering how dated a tablet with the original Tensor chip would be once Google got around to launching the device.
The news comes via Kuba Wojciechowski on Twitter who also states the device will come with not only the speaker dock shown below but also a plain charging version. He also gained some information about the Pixel Tablet specs which you can read about below.
How much will the Pixel Tablet cost?
With the Pixel Tablet still a way away, it’s no surprise that Google hasn’t said how much it will cost.
During the I/O keynote, the device was referred to as “premium” which could refer to the cost or possibly the hardware.
From what we know so far, it certainly doesn’t seem like a rival to the iPad Pro range or Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra so it would be wise for Google to target an affordable price. The Pixel Slate range was too expensive and the Pixel 6 phones have been successful largely due to competitive pricing.
For the Pixel Tablet to succeed, it should be priced close to or undercut the iPad 2021 which is £319/$329 (since hiked to £369 in the UK) and the newer 10th-gen iPad is £499/$449 so Google should be able to undercut that.
What are the Pixel Tablet specs?
- Tensor G2 chip
- Quad speakers
- POGO pin connector for speaker dock
- USB-C
- Dual 8Mp cameras
We know a few things about the Pixel Tablet already. The first is that the Pixel Tablet is powered by the same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones.
This is a powerful chip, but Google doesn’t really set out to win on benchmark scores and instead aims to offer clever and useful features by way of AI and machine learning.
What exactly the Pixel Tablet will offer in this area remains to be seen but it should be similar to that of the Pixel 7 phones. Google simply said it would mean you get the same video calling, hands-free Assistant and photo editing.
The other key information about the Pixel Tablet is that it will have a ‘Charging Speaker Dock’ (possibly an optional extra) which will not only keep the device charged but turns it into a smart display very much like the Nest Hub Max so you can do all kinds of things like easily control smart home devices around the home and use the display as a digital photo frame when it’s not in active use.
This explains the POGO pin connection on the back of the tablet, and although we’ve seen efforts to do something similar in the Lenovo Smart Tab P10 and Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus, Google’s looks like the slickest implementation yet.
“We took special care to tune the dock’s magnets so you can easily dock or undock your Pixel Tablet. And when it’s in your hand, the premium nanoceramic finish is both beautiful and comfortable to hold,” said Google.
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 Google’s official images. The device has four pogo pins for charging, a fabric cover, a ‘G’ logo on the back and a power input. It is essentially the Google Home Hub Max without the display.
Whether this is the Charging Speaker Dock Google mentioned or not is unclear. It could be simply a charging dock without audio built-in. Meanwhile, 9to5Google reports that the Google Home app reveals the Pixel Tablet will have a ‘Hub Mode’ when docked and a physical connection is required in order to cast content to the device.
The speaker dock can be assigned to a room in the Google Home app, as you would expect. It’s possible it can be used as a speaker when the Pixel Tablet is not attached.
As for design, there are two colours: a green model and a pale beige/peach sort of tone. Google says it is using premium materials and finishes with smooth rounded corners.
A ‘nano-ceramic’ coating is inspired by fine porcelain and sees ceramic particles infused into the coating which is applied onto the aluminium body, which like the Pixel 7 phones, is 100% recycled.
The display has a bezel around the edge and there appears to be a quad-speaker sound system with two drivers on each end of the slate. There’s also a USB-C port, of course.
For another look at the hardware, a device that is allegedly a Pixel Tablet popped up briefly on Facebook Marketplace, and images of the listing were since shared to Twitter. It does appear 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 isn’t a fake.
It’s possible that the Pixel Tablet will 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 device launching but the inclusion of UWB is interesting. It’s used on the Pixel phones for things like being a digital car key but on the tablet it could be more useful. A Tap to Transfer feature would be similar to Apple’s method of ‘handing’ music from an iPhone to the HomePod.
It’s possible you’ll be able to tap your compatible phone on it to transfer audio or maybe video, too. It could also be useful in Google’s upcoming Finder Network for locating devices.
We haven’t yet had any detailed hardware specs, but from the brief preview that Google gave us earlier in the year, we can gather that the tablet has front and rear cameras for starters.
Information gained from version 8.5 of the Google Camera app for Pixel smartphones, as spotted by 9to5Google, gives us a little more information about those cameras.
The app code mainly indicates what the Pixel Tablet won’t have, starting with 4K video recording at 60fps and quite possibly no 4K at all. It looks like the device also won’t offer Audio Zoom, Slow Motion videos, or Action Pan photos.
We also potentially know, via Kuba Wojciechowski on Twitter, that the Pixel Tablet’s cameras will both be Sony IMX355 sensors. That’s the same 8Mp sensor found on the Pixel 6’s selfie camera.
Wojciechowski also reported via 91Mobiles that the tablet will have a 10.95in display. That size means it could be very close to the same dimensions as Apple’s iPad Air, and the design Google showed off backs this up with round corners to the screen.
The leaker has added the tablet will have WiFi 6 support and come with either 128GB or 256GB storage. They also spotted the existence of a Google-made stylus.
Furthermore, Wojciechowski has also gained the knowledge that the Pixel Tablet will have 8GB of Samsung LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of Kioxia UFS storage along with a 2560×1600 resolution display which is unlikely to be an OLED panel but LCD instead.
Related reading:
