Announced last May and previewed again that fall, Google at I/O 2023 today fully detailed the Pixel Tablet. This is Google’s latest attempt in the form factor following the Nexus 7(2012 + 2013), 10, 9, Pixel C, and Slate, but the differentiating aspect this time around is how the Pixel Tablet can double as an Assistant Smart Display.
The Pixel Tablet has a 16:10 10.95-inch LCD (2560×1600, 500 nits brightness, 276 PPI) with somewhat sizable black or white bezels that house an 8-MP front-facing camera (1.12 μm, ƒ/2.0, 84°). There’s an anti-smudge coating on the Gorilla Glass 3 and support for USI 2.0 stylus pens. A power button (which also contains a fingerprint sensor) and a volume rocker reside on the top edge.
There’s a quad-speaker audio system with two long cutouts on each side, with the right edge containing the USB-C port. Feet/long protrusions on the bottom edge let you prop up the Pixel Tablet – which weighs 17.4oz (493g) – against various surfaces. You get a three-microphone system for Google Assistant and conferencing.
There’s another 8-MP camera on the back corner. The selfie one is optimized for video calling with features like Portrait Mode and continuous framing in Google Meet. Both can record 1080p 30 FPS video, though there is no face unlock support on the Pixel Tablet.
The rear casing with rounded corners features a nanoceramic coating with a “soft matte look,” and you’ll find four pogo pin connectors underneath the ‘G’ logo for the Charging Speaker Dock. This is for both power and audio transfer, while there are magnets on both sides of the connection. These combine to offer a seamless docking experience, both physically and in the software.
If music is playing when you dock, it will automatically transfer to the 43.5-mm speaker with a delightful onscreen animation/confirmation. It offers “four times the bass than the Pixel Tablet alone.” When docked together, you can Cast to the Pixel Tablet. However, the dock without the device is not an independent Casting target for audio.
Out of the box, that dock (15 W) will be how you charge the Pixel Tablet, as no USB-C power adapter is included. The Pixel Tablet is rated for 12 hours of video streaming on a single charge of the 27-Wh battery.
Besides running Android 13 with large-screen optimizations, the Pixel Tablet can double as a Smart Display. When docked, it’s running “Hub Mode” with the ability to show a Google Photos slideshow or fullscreen clock, including Froggy, the company’s beloved weather mascot.
There’s a UI optimized for controlling your smart home, called Home Panel, accessed from a button in the bottom-left corner. This will show your favorite devices from the Google Home app, which is launching out of preview today, including live camera feeds. Speaking of, the Pixel Tablet’s camera cannot be used as a Nest Cam, unlike the Hub Max.
The Pixel Tablet is powered by Tensor G2 (with the Titan M2 security co-processor), 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB or 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. There’s Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and Ultra-Wideband (UWB), though none of the UWB capabilities are currently live. It will get five years of Android security updates.
The Pixel Tablet is available in three colors: Porcelain, Hazel, and Rose (US only). Porcelain and Rose both feature white bezels reminiscent of the Nest Hub series, while the green Hazel shade has a black frame. The Charging Speaker Dock (available in Porcelain or Hazel) is included with the 128 GB Pixel Tablet costing $499, while the 256 GB model will set you back $599.
Google is separately selling a $79 rubber case that features an integrated pill-shaped metal ring stand that acts as a convenient guide when docking. Speck will offer a Made for Google hard case with a kickstand, a folio-style case, and a screen protector.
Pixel Tablet pre-orders open today in 11 countries (US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Japan, and Australia) ahead of its launch on Tuesday, June 20.
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