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Google gave us a glimpse of a new Pixel Tablet during its I/O developer conference in May. Not much has been heard about it since. Well, we have learned a thing or two about the upcoming Google tablet in recent months. Evidence emerged last month that the device may only support the 64-bit build of Android 13. There are also rumors that it will support stylus input and feature two cameras. Expected to arrive in 2023, some information about its Tensor processor has now emerged online.
Evidence found in the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) code by developer Kuba Wojciechowski suggests that the Pixel Tablet (codenamed Tangor) will use the same processor as the Pixel 6 series (via). So it’s the first-gen Tensor chipset made by Samsung. Google is working with the Korean brand on a new custom processor for the Pixel 7 series. Perhaps the latter is already testing a third-gen Tensor chipset as well.
However, for the upcoming Pixel tablet, Google is settling for the first-gen solution. This certainly wouldn’t make it a premium device the company’s SVP Rick Osterloh called it during the conference a few months back. We are seemingly looking at a mid-range tablet from Google.
The Pixel Tablet may come bundled as a Nest Hub screen
Moreover, the developer also found evidence that the new Google tablet will lack GPS hardware and a cellular modem. It even doesn’t have proximity and barometer sensors and doesn’t support “high-fidelity” sensor processing. All this suggests that the Pixel Tablet will be an affordable in-home tablet for families.
Perhaps this could the dockable Nest Hub tablet that we heard about a few months ago. Google is said to be working on a new Nest smart display featuring a detachable screen. The display detaches from the base that should house a speaker and other components. This barebones tablet fits the billing. Otherwise, a standalone tablet without all those essential sensors wouldn’t serve much use, particularly outdoors. Things should get clearer in the coming months as Google continues its development.
Meanwhile, Google is readying to announce its Pixel 7 series smartphones soon. The new Made by Google phones are tipped to go official next month. Much about the phones, which includes the vanilla Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro, has already leaked. Perhaps we even saw the phones in retail unit unboxing videos. So there isn’t much left to know. But maybe Google will share something about the Pixel Tablet during their launch next month. We will keep you posted.