Google says it's done making tablets and cancels two unreleased products
Google will not be launching a sequel to last year's Pixel Slate tablet, according to Business Insider and Computer World, and will instead focus its Chrome OS hardware efforts on traditional laptop devices like the Pixelbook. "For Google's first-party hardware efforts, we'll be focusing on Chrome OS laptops and will continue to support Pixel Slate," a spokesperson told Business Insider.
[...] Google went so far as to reveal that it has axed two in-development tablet products, moving the employees who had been working on them to other areas of the company. (Most have apparently joined the Pixelbook team.) The tablets were both smaller in size than the Pixel Slate and were planned for release "sometime after 2019." But disappointing quality assurance testing results led Google to completely abandon both devices. Google informed employees of its decision on Wednesday.
Also at TechCrunch.
Previously: Google Neglecting or Exiting the Android Tablet Business?
Google Hardware Makes Cuts to Laptop and Tablet Development, Cancels Products
Google Pixelbook Tablets and Laptops: Not Dead
Related Stories
Google has quietly crept out of the tablet business, removing the "tablets" heading from its Android page. Perhaps it hoped no one would notice on a Friday and by Monday it would be old news, but Android Police caught them in the act. It was there yesterday, but it's gone today.
[...] Google in particular has struggled to make Android a convincing alternative to iOS in the tablet realm, and with this move has clearly indicated its preference for the Chrome OS side of things, where it has inherited the questionable (but lucrative) legacy of netbooks. They've also been working on broadening Android compatibility with that OS. So it shouldn't come as much surprise that the company is bowing out.
[...] Google's exit doesn't mean Android tablets are done for, of course. They'll still get made, primarily by Samsung, Amazon and a couple of others, and there will probably even be some nice ones. But if Google isn't selling them, it probably isn't prioritizing them as far as features and support.
Also at 9to5Google.
Related: All New Chromebooks to Support Android Apps
The first Chrome OS tablet is here
Apple Expected to Compete Against Chromebooks With Cheaper Education-Focused iPads
ChromeOS Gains the Ability to Run Linux Applications
Ask the Community: In the Market for a Modern Tablet
A report from Business Insider claims that Google has axed "dozens" of employees from its laptop and tablet division. BI's sources describe the move as causing "roadmap cutbacks" and that Google will likely "pare down the portfolio" in the future.
[...] Google's Hardware division is run by Rick Osterloh and is expected to launch a game streaming console later this month. The division is responsible for the Pixel phones, Google Home speakers, the Chromecast, Google Wi-Fi, and lately, the Nest smart home division.
Why is Google having a hard time cracking the hardware market?
Google confirms its Pixelbook group has new laptops and tablets inbound
Last month, Business Insider reported that Google might be shifting employees out of the laptop and tablet division that brought us the premium, pricey Pixelbook and Pixel Slate, citing "roadmap cutbacks." But though Google originally declined to comment, the company now tells The Verge that its hardware division actually does have new laptops and tablets on the way.
While Google wouldn't talk details or timing, it did drop a big hint earlier today — as 9to5Google reports, the company led a session at its Cloud Next 2019 conference dubbed "Introducing Google Hardware for Business," where it suggested that a new device might help on-the-go employees in ways that the Pixelbook and Pixel Slate couldn't quite accomplish.
#g rumors death
Previously: Google Hardware Makes Cuts to Laptop and Tablet Development, Cancels Products
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 21 2019, @04:07PM (1 child)
So they can spend a billion bozo bux on housing.
(Score: 2) by jasassin on Friday June 21 2019, @05:39PM
I wish they would spend a few thousand dollars getting hardware accelerated video working in Chrome on Linux. It's number one on my Linux wish list!
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A
(Score: 5, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 21 2019, @04:20PM
Larry: Sergey, what project are we going to kill this month?
Sergey: Can we just give it a rest, Larry?
Larry: Throw the dart, Sergey. Throw the dart!
[Sergey throws a dart]
Larry: Did that land in Newborn Data Tracking?
Sergey: Almost. Looks like it just caught the edge of ChromeOS Tablets.
Larry: Whew. For a second there I thought we were going to lose money.
Sergey: Not this month, Larry. Not this month.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Friday June 21 2019, @05:26PM
I've been looking for a good Android tablet for a long time, and reluctant to pay $1000 for it.
The new 6+" phones (sub $300) are better tablets than anything I've ever seen on the tablet market. I suppose if you just have to have a 10" screen, they don't get it, but at 6.2", I think I'm just fine with a $160 tablet that can also be a phone if I want to activate a SIM card for it.
🌻🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday June 21 2019, @05:35PM (2 children)
(Not that it affects me so much now that I have a sweet pixelbook . . .)
Google please bring back the Nexus 7.
When my Nexus 7 finally broke, I would have replaced it without even a 2nd thought if I could have.
Stupid people exist because nothing in the food chain eats them anymore.
(Score: 2) by jasassin on Friday June 21 2019, @06:42PM (1 child)
eBay?
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A
(Score: 4, Funny) by DannyB on Friday June 21 2019, @09:03PM
eBay
You've never seen* a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.
(*except perhaps Usenet, 4chan, twitter, facebook)
Stupid people exist because nothing in the food chain eats them anymore.