Google Pixel Tablet Is Taking Another Shot At Android’s Biggest Failure

Google aims to design the Pixel Tablet as a portal for entertainment, which means it’s likely safe to assume the device won’t be intended for power users and Android fans hoping for a true iPad Pro competitor. Samsung is arguably the top player in the Android tablet market at this time, and it remains to be seen whether Google plans to take on the South Korean company or if the Pixel Tablet will just be a way for it to round out its Pixel product family.

Based on the keynote speech and Osterloh’s statements, it seems Google’s relentless focus on Chrome OS has come at a cost: the simplistic operating system and its related (largely inexpensive) laptops are mostly shoehorned into the education and work markets and don’t seem to be something the average consumer is interested in using as an entertainment portal. That’s something Android tablets address, as they’re essentially a big-screen version of the smartphones many people already use to play games and watch videos.

Regardless of what the company plans, the Pixel Tablet represents a redirect for Google, which had previously abandoned the idea of creating new Android slates entirely. The Pixel Tablet itself may not be anything to write home about, but it’s possible the device is ultimately intended to serve a different purpose: it could revitalize the Android tablet market, giving both manufacturers and developers a reason to care again. The model will join Android 12L and the eventual Android 13 upgrades intended specifically for large screens, potentially paving the way for a revitalization of the Android tablet space after years of iPad dominance.