1 week Ago By Ben Schoon
The Google Pixel Tablet is an annoying little asterisk in the company’s ecosystem, falling short of greatness despite being overall pretty good. While there are questions around future Pixel Tablet sequel releases, I know what I want from the future – a throwback to the past. This issue of 9to5Google Weekender is a part of 9to5Google’s rebooted newsletter that highlights the biggest Google stories with added commentary and other tidbits.
Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox early! 2023’s Pixel Tablet delivered what was fundamentally a good Android tablet , made possible by Google’s work in improving the large-screen experience on Android. It tried something new, though, in building a hybrid experience that was half tablet, half Nest Hub. It’s a good idea in theory, but one that ultimately held back this piece of Google’s ecosystem.
During a guest spot on the Android Police Podcast this week, Will Satteberg and I discussed Google’s growing ecosystem and agreed that the main thing holding Google back is the Pixel Tablet. While there are a variety of factors at play, many of them boil down to the hybrid nature of the device. The screen’s low refresh rate and overall middling appearance likely originate in what this display needs to be capable of.
Google had to pick a panel that could safely be turned on for 12 or more hours a day, which is probably why it has the same underwhelming appearance as the displays used in things like the Nest Hub, your car, and other panels that need to be on for long periods of time. The hybrid design also likely played a role in leaving accessories as an afterthought. Originally, I thought skipping a keyboard might be a good thing , but it ultimately took a tablet that was already designed for a niche audience and really restricted what it could be used for outside of its niche.
Future plans for the Pixel Tablet remain murky, as rumors suggest that Google has canned its next Pixel Tablet sequel over concerns it might not be profitable. That tablet was said to have a better display , but Google’s plans for this device will probably never see the light of day. I, for one, hope that Google doesn’t lose the charm in its next tablet, but ultimately, I think I just want two separate products to hit the market.
The Pixel Tablet we know today was probably supposed to be, and probably should have remained as, a Nest product. It makes so much more sense for this product to exist as a high-end Nest Hub rather than a piece of Google’s Pixel ecosystem. Rather, I think Google should have just pulled from the past for that product, something I now hope happens for the sequel.
Specifically, I just want Google to revive the Pixel C. The Pixel C remains an underloved piece of Google’s mobile history, with the premium Android tablet having delivered an experience a decade ago that virtually no other tablets really mirror today . The Pixel C was well-constructed, had a great display for the time, and really deserved more credit for its excellent keyboard.
The clever design used rock-solid magnets and a strong hinge to allow the tablet to be used as a laptop, an afterthought for 99% of tablet keyboards on the market today, most of which are unusable without a table in front of you. If it were up to me, a new Pixel Tablet would recycle this design, perhaps modernizing it to fit Google’s new aesthetic. It’d be the cherry on top of the company’s improved mobile ecosystem, and serves a broader market better than the existing model.
A two-tablet future where there’s a Nest device and a Pixel device just makes sense to me, as long as Google is willing to back it appropriately. But what do you think? What do you want from a new Pixel Tablet, assuming we actually get one at some point. This Week’s Top Stories One UI 7 is finally here After a very, very lengthy delay on Samsung’s part, One UI 7 has finally arrived for the masses.
Updates started rolling out widely this week to Galaxy S24, Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6 devices across the globe, and it’s only the beginning. Samsung has updated these Galaxy devices to Android 15 Samsung starts rolling out One UI 7 update to Galaxy S24 in the US Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 are starting to get One UI 7 in the US One UI 7 begins rolling out widely in Europe Pixel 9a review Google opened sales of Pixel 9a this week, with our review also going live for the mid-range device that “gets all the basics right with some Google flourishes and a design that helps differentiate it.” Pixel 9a review: Google’s A-Series is now its own thing More Top Stories Pixel Watch April 2025 update rolling out Pixel Watch 4 render leak shows same design, potential return of wireless charging Samsung’s Ballie robot launches in the US ‘this Summer’ with Gemini in tow Gemini Live Video hands-on: The world-facing camera we’ve waited for [Video] Google announces ‘Workspace Flows’ automation with Gems, audio in Docs, and more Gemini Android Auto update hints at navigation with ‘Glasses’ Google built a dashcam app for cars with Android Automotive – not for Android Auto What’s new in Android’s April 2025 Google System Updates Google’s prototype Android XR glasses get face time at TED2025 From the rest of 9to5 9to5Mac: iPhone 17 Pro cases show just how massive the new camera bar will be 9to5Toys: Industry analysts now predicting massive post-tariff price hike on Switch 2 – $540 for the console Electrek: Tesla stops taking Model S and Model X orders in China amid new tariffs Follow Ben: Twitter/X , Threads , Bluesky , and Instagram.
