Meet the Google Pixel Tablet, a Tensor-powered tablet that doubles as a smart home display

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Google Pixel Tablet
Once again. Google showcased the Pixel Tablet on stage at the Pixel 7/Pixel 7 Pro announcement livestream today, giving us yet another look at the upcoming slate and shedding some key information about the device. In particular, the tablet will sport nano-ceramic coating on top of recycled aluminum, which would give off the feeling that the user is touching porcelain. 



Other key aspects of the device were also shared, and just as we suspected, the Google Pixel Tablet will be mostly intended for in-home use. Instead of outfitting the tablet with everything but the kitchen sink, Google has taken a bolder approach and intended the Pixel Tablet to be a smart home display that doubles as a tablet rather than a full-blown tablet. 

Google even has a so-called Charging Speaker Dock in store for the Pixel Tablet. The slate will magnetically dock and undock in a MagSafe-like way to the Charging Speaker Dock, which would wirelessly charge it and also double as a smart home speaker. Thanks to this multifunctional stand, your Pixel Tablet will have way more use cases than merely collecting dust on a shelf while you're not using it—it would double as a smart home display, a hub for all your connected devices, and will show you your memories, key information about your smart house, and so on. 


However, once you decide to indulge yourself with some Netflix or YouTube Premium, you can simply take the tablet with you. Use in in bed, on the couch, or wherever you wish: it's a tablet, after all! 

The Pixel Tablet will come with the all-new Tensor G2 chipset, which debuted with the Pixel 7-series and is Big G's second crack at a custom chipset. Just like the Tensor G1, the Tensor G2 will put more emphasis on artificial intelligence and machine-learning. However, most of the unique camera features of the Tensor G2 won't be available on the tablet due to its more rudimentary camera system. And, naturally, wireless charging will be part of the specs sheet. 

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Google also says that the Pixel Tablet will be the best way to experience Android on a large screen. Now, why would Google say that as Android tablets have existed for more than a decade already? Well, the newest Android 13 has been optimized with big screens and the Pixel Tablet in particular, says Google. 

The company has been in touch with most app developers, which have also optimized their apps to make good use of the larger screen estate of the Pixel Tablet. Optimized stylus support was also thrown in as a key feature of the Pixel Tablet, but Google didn't mention if the device will come with such an accessory out of the box (we are pessimistic). 

Finally, Google didn't reveal an official release date for the Pixel Tablet, but reiterated that the device will see the light of day in 2023. We remain tuned! 

The majority of official hardware specs and details are tightly kept under wraps for now, but it seems that Google is gearing the Pixel Tablet to be a home-only device, which could lack essential hardware sensors and functionalities like GPS, proximity and barometer sensors, as well as a cellular modem. From a certain  point of view, it will be similar to functionality to, say, the Nest Hub Max, and will double as a smart display and a hub for your smart home. 

While official specs of the Pixel Tablet are still hard to come by, the rumor mill has been relatively talkative, spilling the beans that the Pixel Tablet would feature a 10.95-inch display and carry the first-gen Google-made Tensor G1 chipset, which powered the Pixel 6-series, and have 4GB of RAM on deck... which wouldn't make it a powerhouse worth mentioning. There would likely be 128 and 256GB storage versions of the device. 

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