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Google Pixel Tablet Review : The history of Android tablets has been challenging, with a few exceptions. One standout is Samsung, which has successfully established itself in the market through excellent hardware and extensive customization of the Android operating system. As per IDC, Samsung consistently holds the second position, accounting for almost 25% of all tablet shipments in Q1 2023.

Beyond that, the competition drops significantly. Huawei currently holds the third spot with approximately 7% market share. While their hardware quality is not surprising, the company’s well-known struggles with the U.S. government have left them in a difficult position. As a result, they have shifted from relying on Android to developing their own operating system, HarmonyOS.

Lenovo is another major player in the Android tablet market, securing a place in the top five. Amazon ranks fifth, but their Fire OS does not meet most qualifications for a true Android tablet. Amazon excels in delivering innovative hardware, but their tablets run on three different operating systems: Android, Windows, and Chrome.

The challenges faced by Android tablets in achieving the same level of success as their smartphone counterparts are not up for debate. Google has made numerous attempts over the past decade to enter the tablet market, partnering with companies like Asus, Samsung, and HTC for devices such as the Nexus series and Pixel Slate. However, these endeavors have been short-lived. Despite the effort, Android tablets have struggled to gain traction.

In 2022, Google introduced the Google Pixel Tablet, raising the question of whether this time would be different. The key differentiating factor for the Google Pixel Tablet is its dock, which is integral to its appeal. In fact, one could argue that it is more accurate to describe it as a Nest Home with a detachable screen rather than a standalone Pixel Tablet, although Google might not embrace this classification.

Notably, Google’s previous product, the Home Hub, resembled a small tablet attached to a speaker base. The Google Pixel Tablet is a logical extension of that design, blurring the line between a tablet and a smart display. Bundling these functionalities together was a shrewd decision by Google. Currently, the tablet can only be purchased as part of a bundle, and it is challenging to generate enthusiasm for the device as a standalone product.

Specification of Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet boasts solid hardware, surpassing the standard iPad in various aspects. It features a 10.95-inch display with a resolution of 2650 x 1600, higher pixel density compared to the 10th generation iPad’s 10.9-inch, 2360 x 1640 screen. The Google Pixel Tablet also offers superior battery life, rated at 12 hours compared to the iPad’s 10 hours. With 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, it outperforms the iPad’s 4GB and 64GB, respectively. The front and rear-facing cameras are both eight megapixels, slightly lower than the iPad’s 12-megapixel cameras.

In many ways, The Google Pixel Tablet serves as Google’s counterpart to the base-level iPad. It is a utilitarian device without extravagant features, designed to fulfill the essential tablet functions. Google could have introduced such a product a decade ago instead of hesitating and allowing competitors like Samsung, Huawei, and Lenovo to dominate the market.

In the past, Google seemed uncertain about its commitment to first-party hardware, preferring to rely on existing manufacturers. However, several key developments have reshaped this approach:

1. Google acquired Nest in 2014 and expanded its smart home offerings, including the Home Hub line of devices.
2. The company revamped its Pixel division, acquiring HTC intellectual property and rebuilding it from scratch.
3. Google developed Android L, a variation of the operating system specifically designed for larger screens, similar to Apple’s iPadOS.

Pros And Cons About Google Pixel tablet

Pros:

• The Google Pixel tablet boasts an impressive display with awesome visual pleasant.
• The audio output is of excessive nice, handing over a fulfilling listening experience.
• The Google Pixel Tablet exhibits responsive performance, making sure easy and green utilization.
• The standout characteristic is the smart and realistic speaker dock, which complements the overall usability of the tool.

Cons:

• In spite of its strengths, the tablet encounters demanding situations with severa Android apps which have problem adapting to large display screen sizes.
• Unluckily, the absence of a headphone jack limits audio connectivity alternatives for users.
• The battery lifestyles falls below average, necessitating frequent recharging.
• The factor ratio of the Google Pixel Tablet favors video viewing over analyzing, potentially impacting the analyzing revel in.

The last point is crucial. While Android 12L’s messaging was initially unclear upon its release in late 2021, it was introduced to embrace the growing interest in foldable devices and provide developers with a native platform for Android tablets. Notably, Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft have already embraced Android 12L, which brings significant features like a multi-tasking split screen accessible through the taskbar, enabling users to easily drag and drop media from Google Photos into apps.

Introducing a fine but unremarkable tablet in 2023 would not be the solution to Google’s decade-long struggle to establish itself in the tablet category. However, a combination of a tablet, smart display, and home hub is a compelling proposition. Similarly, pricing the Google Pixel Tablet alone at $499 would have been a tough sell, especially when compared to Apple’s more aggressive pricing strategy (the standard iPad starts at $449). By including the speaker dock and Nest Home Hub functionality, Google significantly enhances the value proposition.

The Google Pixel Tablet now effectively straddles Google’s two primary consumer hardware divisions, Pixel and Nest. While Amazon has previously explored this approach with FireOS and Show Mode, Google’s equivalent is Hub Mode.

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When docked, the system automatically activates Hub Mode by aligning the charging pins magnetically. A brief animation confirms that the system is working correctly. If music is playing on Google Pixel Tablet, it seamlessly transfers to the dock’s speakers, which offer superior audio quality compared to the slate. Similar to the Nest Hub, the docked tablet serves as a convenient control panel for monitoring and managing various smart home devices such as lights and thermostats, without requiring the device to be unlocked. However, sensitive features like security cameras still necessitate unlocking.

The docked tablet provides access to a vast app library, a notable advantage over dedicated smart displays. This makes it a useful device for teleconferencing using platforms like Google Meet and Zoom. The tablet’s front-facing camera and speakers are more than sufficient for these tasks.

Launching a new tablet in 2023 was a daunting challenge for Google. The market is highly competitive and mature, with well-established players. Tablets, much like smartphones, have reached a point where they are perceived as somewhat mundane. While convertibles have brought some creativity to the market, standalone tablets have become subject to iterative spec improvements. However, Google understood the assignment for the first time. Any new hardware it introduced had to offer more than just a tablet experience. Google Pixel Tablet may not revolutionize the industry, but in its own way, Google has accomplished the seemingly impossible: making a standard, entry-level tablet interesting in the year 2023.