Google seems to do less to make Android tablets become real competitors to the Apple’s iPad, especially since the release of Nexus 7, which in all of its glory, started the Android tablet revolution.
While Samsung is conquering tablet form factor in its foldable phones, particularly with its latest and greatest foldable phone Galaxy Z Fold 3, I unexpectedly thought of ordering Apple’s new IPad mini while writing this single tweet.
In my recollection, Nexus 7 was really a magical sight to behold and overdrove my passion for Android. It was not something that I simply had not experienced before, from rooting and installing ROMs, to recognizing that Android is so great. Unfortunately, there has been not more than that since then.
Considering the current status of the Android tablet market, I could say that an iPad is better than any tablet as Apple has revamped it to the point where it is a better Google tablet than anything I have seen since the Nexus 7.
Looking at the pretty awesome Nexus 9, it also has its own problems, showing that Google could no longer care about the tablet form factor. For Pixel C and Pixel Slate phase, it was more about Chrome OS than providing a great tablet, even when the latter does run Android apps.
Google could act in Samsung’s world
Samsung is shining in the world of “Android”, from the best Android phones to the best tablets, and the best smartwatches. It boasts an ecosystem that works out for a majority of users. But there’s a reason why many Android enthusiasts are still looking forward to getting their hands on the Pixel 6 Pro.
Google seems to capitalise on the fear of missing out with ads featuring a batch of potato chips to promote its Pixel 6 series. Going to a brick-and-mortar Google Store in New York, you will be introduced to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro though you cannot actually touch them. But you will also be easily enticed by commercials, ads, and billboards for the next Google “flagship”.
Following the 2020 rollout of the Pixel 4a, 4a, 5G and Pixel 5 that failed to impress users, the Pixel 5A was really a saver, considering how well it has been going so far. Apart from the 4K video recording issues, the Pixel 5A is the phone that Google should have released in 2020.
While Google itself has ignored Android tablets for years, Samsung is filling the void with the adaptation of DeX Mode into a desktop-like experience on tablets.
Google should care again for tablets
After placing pre-order for the iPad Mini, I just wait to see how well it works. That is also something that Apple fans have been asking for, for quite a long time. For this reason, Google should pay closer attention to this market, like the way Apple did. It is time for the company to fix Android tablets by making apps more tablet-friendly with a dual-pane layout, or more expectedly, bringing back the Nexus 7 with a modern hardware design. That’s what Google could do to win over users again.
Maybe a “Pixel Slate 7” or “Pixel Tab” is on the horizon for Google. And if the Pixel 6 series fail to save the company’s sales, it could pave the way for more devices.
