While some might find that convenient and perhaps even stress-relieving, I'm a little frustrated by the lack of suspense that's unfortunately become the norm rather than the exception in recent years ahead of such high-profile product announcements organized by everyone from Google to Samsung, Apple, OnePlus, and even Motorola.
But a somewhat strange news story that many of you may have missed a few days ago got me thinking - what if Big G still has an ace up its sleeve? It's a stretch, I know, but what if the Pixel Tablet 2 is uncancelled and set for an official debut alongside the Pixel 10 handset family next week?
The signs are... not there
Before you get too excited, I must highlight that I'm merely speculating here, and I realize that seeing a product like the second-gen Pixel Tablet unveiled without any preceding noise in the rumor mill whatsoever would be virtually unprecedented, at least for the past decade or so.
A refined Pixel Tablet 2 with an optional Pixel Tablet Pen? That's the stuff (my) dreams are made of. | Image Credit -- Goofish
That's very clearly a writing accessory that was designed with the original Pixel Tablet edition in mind, but never commercially materialized for unknown reasons, and just because some resourceful Chinese merchants managed to get their hands on a few units after all this time, that doesn't mean Google has turned its attention back to its "iPad killer" in any notable way.
But as a fan of Android tablets in general and tablet market diversity in... even more general, I want you to allow me to keep dreaming for at least another week. Because while our in-depth Pixel Tablet review back in the fall of 2023 made it abundantly clear that that was not a perfect device, I've always felt like the stock Android-running 10.95-inch giant is just a couple of small steps away from... an acceptable value equation.
The massive interest that the slate's hefty discounts have regularly generated among the readers of our little website here over the last few months seems to prove me right, and without giving any numbers away, that aforementioned news piece about the unreleased Pixel Tablet Pen also got a lot of hits from what I can only assume to be Google fans disappointed by the product's cancellation (at least for the most part).
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Would you buy a Pixel Tablet 2 if it came out this fall?
In a heartbeat
7.14%
Probably... at the right price
57.14%
Probably... if it's better than the first edition
28.57%
Probably not
0%
Definitely not
7.14%
I'm pretty sure Google is aware of this sentiment, as well as its online magnitude, so I remain confident hopelessly optimistic that the company will eventually make the right call (including from a business standpoint) and release a long overdue Pixel Tablet sequel.
Too little, too late?
While it would certainly be unusual to follow up a 2023-released product after two years (or more), what some of you probably don't remember is that the Pixel Tablet was actually not the first Google-made iPad rival on the market.
A 12.3-inch Pixel Slate came out all the way back in the fall of 2018, suffering the same fate that the Pixel Tablet suffered five years later. In a (weird and twisted) way, you can say that the experimental Pixel Slate was followed by a... slightly less experimental Pixel Tablet after half a decade, so why wouldn't the Pixel Tablet get its own belated sequel after two or three years as well?
You haven't forgotten about the Pixel Slate, have you? | Image Credit -- Google
I don't even care how such a sequel would be branded, and after the latest global tablet market report, I believe the smartest course of action for Google would be to roll out a more affordable and straightforward iPad alternative, ideally with a smaller screen than the OG Pixel Tablet (let alone the Pixel Slate) and a special focus on gaming.
Because beggars can't be choosers, though, I think I'd be okay with any type of tablet from Google, especially after seeing the search giant polish the Pixel Watch (very close) to perfection within three generations while essentially hitting a home run in the tricky foldable phone category from only a second attempt.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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