Google’s first self-branded tablet, the popular Nexus 7, launched over a decade ago in mid-2012. In the intervening years, Google’s had a bit of a strained relationship with the tablet form factor, culminating in the ill-fated Pixel Slate in 2018. The ChromeOS-powered tablet was so poorly received that Google gave up on tablet hardware for several years.
But at its 2022 I/O conference, alongside the Google Pixel 7 Pro and the long-awaited Google Pixel Watch, Google threw us a bit of a curve ball with the announcement of a new Pixel-branded tablet. While the Google Pixel 7 lineup and Google’s first smartwatch are available to purchase right now, don’t expect to see this would-be iPad competitor until 2023.
Details on the Google Pixel Tablet are still too spotty to know if it’ll be any better than the last Pixel-branded tablet, but plenty of juicy morsels still exist to whet your appetite.
This post contains speculation about the upcoming Google Pixel Tablet. We’ve listed any details confirmed by Google throughout the post as well as the sources of any rumors we’ve published. We will update this post regularly as we learn more details.
Google Pixel Tablet: Hardware and specifications
We didn’t hear anything official between the Google Pixel Tablet’s initial tease this spring at I/O 2022 and the October Made by Google hardware event in Brooklyn. Still, we have been slowly learning more about the upcoming slate. The tech giant has confirmed that the upcoming Pixel Tablet will run on the same Google Tensor G2 chipset that powers its current Pixel 7 series smartphones. It’s even shown off the magnetic dock we’ve seen in prior leaks.
The Google Pixel Tablet is perched on its charging dock.
Back on the rumor side, poking around the APK for an internal build of the Google Home app in October, 9to5Google discovered evidence that there are two separate docks in development. It’s not immediately clear what differentiates the two docks, but the second could be for a rumored Pixel Tablet Pro.
The tablet may also have a powered stylus accessory, either bundled or available as a separate purchase. In May, the blog NuGiz spotted that a tablet with the codename Tangor, manufactured by Google, was listed as certified by the Universal Stylus Initiative. This organization defines industry-wide standards for interoperable communication between an active stylus and touch-enabled devices.
Google’s last tablet, the Pixel Slate, showed promise, but it was a disaster when we reviewed it in 2018.
In September, developer Kuba Wojciechowski found evidence in AOSP code that the Pixel tablet (referred to again as Tangor) will run on a first-generation Tensor CPU. However, this has been discredited by Google. Wojciechowski also said the Google Pixel Tablet won’t have GPS hardware or a cellular modem, which makes sense if the device is meant to pull double duty as a tablet and smart home hub.
Soon after, Wojciechowski (in conjunction with 91mobiles) leaked more details about the Pixel Tablet’s hardware configuration. The Pixel Tablet will feature a 10.95-inch display (about an inch larger than the one on the Nest Hub Max) and will be available in both 128GB and 256GB storage configurations. It’ll also support Wi-Fi 6.
Android 13 QPR1 Beta 1 has also been found to contain animations depicting docking and undocking a tablet with similar hardware to what we saw at Google I/O, again labeled as Tangor. Since Google has confirmed the Pixel Slate will use a magnetic dock, that all checks out.
There are also references in Android 13 QPR1 Beta 1 to hardware codenamed tangorpro, which, given we’re all but certain Tangor is the Pixel Tablet, seems to lend credence to the rumor that there could also be a Pro version in the works. It’s unclear what would differentiate the devices, but a higher-end version could contain the GPS and LTE hardware the base model lacks. However, we haven’t seen evidence of this.
Google Pixel Tablet: Software details and speculation
Aside from the fact that the Pixel Tablet will run Android, we don’t know much about its software. So far, Google has shown the device sporting a familiar Android tablet interface and a Google TV interface. In that view, Google TV is shown on a tab labeled For you, with other tabs called Highlights, Shop, and Your stuff also visible in a menu on the left side of the screen.
In August, industry veteran Mishaal Rahman spotted that Google’s development resources contain evidence that the Pixel Tablet (under its codename Tangor) might only run 64-bit apps, which could mean improved memory performance at the expense of compatibility with 32-bit apps.
In early October, Rahman also found evidence in the Google Clock app that the Pixel Tablet could be getting some big-screen-optimized alarm and timer features, potentially as part of the Clock app’s screensaver mode.
Google Pixel Tablet: Price and availability rumors
Google has officially stated the Pixel Tablet won’t be available until 2023, and so far, we have no idea what the device might cost. If it’s true that the tablet will be missing certain mobile-focused components like GPS hardware, it could be a relatively budget-friendly offering, but it’s too soon to know.
We don’t know if the tablet will be available on its own or only bundled with a charging base. We also don’t know how high a premium the rumored Pro variant will entail. Google seems content to tease the device out in bits and pieces in the near term, so don’t expect a huge info dump any time soon. Even so, we’re keeping an eye on developments and updating our coverage as we learn more.
Don’t want to wait for the Google Pixel Tablet?
We probably won’t hear anything official about the upcoming Google Pixel Tablet until closer to its vague release window. We’ll keep an eye out for new developments in the meantime. They should get more frequent as we move into 2023. For now, there are plenty of great Android tablets and Google Assistant smart displays to choose from. Still, none of our top picks pull double duty as both.
