Google Pixel tablet coming in 2023: What we know so far

(Pocket-lint) – While at its annual developer conference, I/O 2022[1], Google provided a sneak peek at something it’s working on for 2023. “Now normally, we wouldn’t announce a new product a year before it’s ready”, said Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh during the show. “But there’s so much amazing energy around tablets in the developer community that we wanted to bring you all into the loop.” And with that, the screen behind Osterloh started rolling a teaser video – the first-ever look at the new Pixel tablet. Keep in mind Google released its last first-party Android tablet, the Nexus 7,[2] in 2013.

What does Pixel tablet feature?

Google didn’t reveal a screen size, but said it would be “on the larger side”.

It looks a lot like a Nest Hub display[3], complete with white bezels and a camera at the top (when held in landscape orientation). There is also a camera on the back of the tablet in the corner. The Home Screen UI had app icons for Photos, Google TV, Drive, Keep, Sheets, Docs, Play Store, as well as widgets for the weather and date and even a Google search bar (with what looks like a Google Assistant mic and Google Lens symbol in the search field).

There was also a menu bar alongside search with app icons for Gmail, Chrome, YouTube, etc. Aside from what Google showed in its teaser video and discussed on stage at I/O, details are thin. Here’s what we know so far about the Pixel tablet:

Pixel phone companion

It will be a Pixel-branded Android tablet designed to work with Pixel phones.

Executive Rick Osterloh described the Pixel tablet as an Android tablet while on stage at I/O and said it will be the “perfect companion for your Pixel phone”. 

Google Tensor-powered

Osterloh also said the tablet will be powered by Google Tensor.[4] Google’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones[5] launched with a new system on a chip (SoC) inside. Tensor is Google’s in-house SoC.

It uses a mix of components that Google has either designed or licensed. Google has spent a lot of time hammering home Tensor’s artificial intelligence and machine learning advantages. We’ve seen details lurking in Android code suggesting that it’s going to be the first-gen Tensor, not the second-gen which is expected to run the Pixel 7.

It might also be Wi-Fi only.

Helpful software

Speaking of AI and MI capabilities, Osterloh said the Pixel tablet will be able to bridge “your on-the-go life with your at-home life, working seamlessly with all of your Pixel devices to provide the most helpful experience possible”. He added: “We’re designing it to be the most helpful tablet in the world”. If the Pixel tablet is truly able to be helpful then perhaps it offers some software experience that leverages Tensor and Google’s extensive background in AI. 

How much does Pixel tablet cost?

  • Pixel tablet US price: Not announced yet
  • Pixel tablet UK price: Not announced yet

Pricing hasn’t been revealed, but Google described it as a “premium-style” tablet, suggesting that it may be priced closer to an iPad than a budget Android tablet.

When can you buy Pixel tablet?

  • Pixel tablet release date: Sometime in 2023

Google said it’s aiming to make Pixel tablet available next year.

It tends to launch hardware in the autumn, so Pixel tablet could land in the second half of 2023. But we might hear some more information about the Pixel Tablet at the Made by Google event on 6 October.[6]

Want to know more?

Watch Google announce the Pixel tablet at 3:05:00 below:

Google Pixel tablet: All the news so far

Here’s everything we’ve heard about the Pixel Tablet through official releases and leaks.

What is the Pocket-lint daily and how do you get it for free? By Stuart Miles . 2 February 2022

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2 September 2022: Pixel Tablet could use first-gen Tensor hardware

Details lurking in the code[7] for Android point to the Pixel Tablet using Google Tensor.

30 May 2022: Google Pixel Tablet tipped to come with stylus support

According to the Universal Stylus Initiative[8] there’s now an entry for a Google tablet on the list, suggesting the Pixel Tablet might support pen input.

11 May 2022: Google reentering Android tablet market in 2023

Google plans to return[9] to the field with an unnamed Android tablet teased during Google I/O 2022.

We don’t know a whole lot about it right now, but the design was shown during the event and it was confirmed to run on Google Tensor – the software giant’s own silicon that currently powers the Pixel 6 series phones.

Writing by Maggie Tillman.

Editing by Chris Hall.

References

  1. ^ I/O 2022 (www.pocket-lint.com)
  2. ^ the Nexus 7, (www.pocket-lint.com)
  3. ^ Nest Hub display (www.pocket-lint.com)
  4. ^ Google Tensor. (www.pocket-lint.com)
  5. ^ Google’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones (www.pocket-lint.com)
  6. ^ Made by Google event on 6 October. (www.pocket-lint.com)
  7. ^ lurking in the code (www.xda-developers.com)
  8. ^ Universal Stylus Initiative (www.pocket-lint.com)
  9. ^ plans to return (www.pocket-lint.com)