A new Google-centric tablet device, the Google Pixel Tablet, was unveiled at Google IO 2022, and we’re looking ahead to what the slate might bring to the table in 2023.
The tablet’s announcement came as a complete surprise, as there’d be no previous signs – other than a job advert – that Google was working on a new slate device. Since then, though, Google has shared further details about the upcoming product, even going as far as to tease images of the Google Pixel Tablet during the launch of the Google Pixel 7.
Below, then, you’ll find everything we’ve heard so far about the Google Pixel Tablet, including information shared by Google directly, as well as various rumors and leaks. As usual, we’ll be updating this article whenever we hear something new.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? An upcoming tablet from Google
- When is it out? 2023
- How much will it cost? No idea yet
Google Pixel Tablet: release date and price
Google has confirmed that it’s aiming to launch the Pixel Tablet sometime in 2023, so there’s quite a while to wait before it’ll be available to buy.
The company didn’t get any more specific than that, but we can take an educated guess at when we might see it, as there are two points in the year when Google tends to release new hardware. First there’s Google IO, which almost always takes place in May.
Then there’s the launch of new numbered Pixel models, which happens towards the end of the year, usually – but not always – in October. So, one of those events would be an obvious time for Google to launch the Pixel Tablet, but it’s entirely possible the tablet could be unveiled at another point in 2023 instead.
Of the two options, we think October is the more likely, as Google didn’t sound certain that the slate would even be out by the end of 2023 when announcing the product in 2022 – rather, that’s just the company’s goal.
So far, we have no idea how much the tablet will cost. We can’t really guess, either, as the company hasn’t recently launched any other tablets, and we don’t know how high-end the Google Pixel Tablet is going to be.
Google Pixel Tablet: news
Google has shared some images of the Pixel Tablet, two of which you can see above, and two more of which you can see below.
The slate is shown here in white with a curvy rear, a “premium nanoceramic finish”, fairly large bezels around the screen, and a single-lens camera on both the front and the back.
From the design – which is a bit like a Google Home Hub without the stand – we’re thinking this will probably be a mid-range slate rather than a high-end one, so it could be more of a competitor to the basic iPad 10.2 or iPad Air (2022) than to the iPad Pro 11 or Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.
That said, Google has confirmed that it will use the same Tensor G2 chipset as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, so it should have a reasonable amount of power.
We also know, of course, that the Pixel Tablet will run Android – specifically Android 12L, which is designed for large screen devices. Being a Google device, it’s also sure to get a lot of software updates – and promptly, too.
The Pixel Tablet is also designed to work with a Charging Speaker Dock, which you can see in the image below. This turns the slate into a smart home device akin to the Google Home Hub or the Nest Hub Max. As the name suggests, it can both keep the Pixel Tablet charged, and offers better speakers than the tablet itself.
The Pixel Tablet is apparently easy to both dock and undock using magnets, and this Charging Speaker Dock is being built so that the Pixel Tablet remains useful at all times when at home, serving both as a slate and a smart home display.
As for the tablet’s design, we’ve seen two colours teased so far: green and beige. Google says it’s using premium materials for the tablet’s construction, which could drive up its price.
Google Pixel Tablet: leaks and rumors
Moving into the realm of leaks and rumors, we’ve seen that a Google tablet – possibly the Google Pixel Tablet – has been certified to support a stylus.
Beyond that, we can speculate that the device might have the same 50MP rear camera as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7, since Google doesn’t tend to change up the camera hardware it uses too often, and that was a new sensor for the range.
The Google Pixel Tablet might not offer the smartphone camera experience, though, as camera app code points to missing features. Apparently, there might not be 4K video recording, or certain features like slow-mo or audio zoom for videos.
We’ve also heard rumors that the tablet will be quite a low-spec, affordable one, with 4GB of RAM predicted. It may miss out on GPS and cellular connectivity features, too.
Storage options of 128GB and 256GB and a screen size of 10.95 inches have been mentioned in a leak – a leak that also says the tablet was in its internal testing phase in September 2022.
That said, a more recent leak points to slightly better specs, including 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, a 1600 x 2560 LCD display and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
The source of this leak also claims that there will be a second dock available for the Pixel Tablet – this time coming without a speaker. Plus, they say that while a Pixel Tablet and Pixel Tablet Pro had both previously been rumored, only the Pro version will launch (though probably without Pro in the name). This might explain why the specs leaked here are better than those mentioned above.
I have also been provided with a few photos of the device. pic.twitter.com/ctKWQoVDCTJanuary 26, 2023
The same source also shared new images of the slate and one of its docks, which you can see in the tweet above. What’s more, Google may have inadvertently revealed more about the software running on board the Pixel Tablet: it’s not much of a look, but we’ll take it.
For more on the latest slate hardware, check out our guide to the best Android tablets of 2023.