Back in 2022, Google made the surprise announcement that it was getting back into the tablet game with the Pixel Tablet. After it was finally released in 2023, the Pixel Tablet offered a similar yet different experience compared to much of the competition.
Even still, we're always looking to the future, and this is the place to be if you want to learn more about the Pixel Tablet 2. At the time of this writing, this is purely based on speculation, as there has yet to be much in the way of rumors or leaks. However, whenever new information becomes available, we'll be updating this post in order to provide a central hub for a potential successor to the Pixel Tablet.
Google Pixel Tablet 2: Availability
Trying to discern when Google will release a potential Pixel Tablet 2 is a bit difficult. The company first announced the original Pixel Tablet at I/O 2022, but it wasn't released until June 2023.
Part of this might be attributed to fine-tuning the software, as it was Google's first foray back into tablets since 2015. However, we won't be surprised if Google ends up moving to a yearly cadence, putting the Pixel Tablet 2 to arrive sometime in June 2024.
Google Pixel Tablet 2: Price
Not including any current sales or discounts, the Pixel Tablet retails for $499 with 128GB of storage or $599 if you want 256GB. Included with that is the Charging Speaker Dock, which retails for $129 if purchased separately.
Provided that the Pixel Tablet 2 is an iterative update and includes the Dock, we're expecting it to be available for the same $499 starting price. There are a few things that could throw a wrench into this, as the Pixel Tablet isn't perfect, and a successor would be served well if it provided some meaningful upgrades that we'll touch on.
Google Pixel Tablet 2: Rumors and specs
Despite being released more than six months ago, there has yet to be much in the way of rumors or leaks for a potential Pixel Tablet 2. But we aren't expecting Google to drastically change the formula just one year after releasing the first version.
That being said, we're expecting the overall design to remain the same, likely retaining the 10.95-inch display, complete with its support for USI 2.0 stylus pens. It's also likely that the pogo pins will return, ensuring that you can use the new tablet with the "old" Charging Speaker Dock.
When it comes to power, it makes the most sense for Google to rely on its own Tensor G3 chip, which debuted alongside the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Compared to the Tensor G2, the G3 is built on the 4nm process, offering a boost in both performance and efficiency.
However, the biggest upgrade Google brought with the Tensor G3 is in the on-device machine learning. This is where the Tensor G3 paired with the Pixel 8 shines, as Google designed it to handle many different machine learning models. Specifically with speech, the Tensor G3 "even understands pauses and "ums," making it perfect for those who want to use the Pixel Tablet as a Nest Hub replacement.
Google Pixel Tablet 2: Wishlist
We've been waiting and hoping for Google to re-enter the tablet market for years, and while the Pixel Tablet is great, it's far from perfect. It doesn't take long to come to the realization that the hardware was designed at least a year or two before it was unveiled. With that in mind, here are a few things that we want to see Google improve upon or bring to the Pixel Tablet 2.
A better display
Frankly, there aren't very many tablets at the sub-$500 price point that offer a 2560 x 1600 QHD display. However, the problem isn't so much with the resolution or quality as it is with the type of panel that's being used.
We'd love for the Pixel Tablet 2 to use an OLED panel, as opposed to the LCD screen that's found in the current iteration. This would result in a much better tablet for content consumption, whether it's for gaming or just watching movies. Google likely opted for LCD simply because OLED screens are more expensive, and the company wanted to hit a certain price target.
The other major display upgrade that we want to see in the Pixel Tablet 2 is a higher refresh rate. If you look around at some of the best phones and even Chromebooks, you'll find more screens with faster refresh rates. Even still, the Pixel Tablet's display is locked at 60Hz, so an upgrade to at least 90Hz would make a ton of sense.
Even more accessories
We're quick to praise Samsung for including its excellent S Pen in the box with many of the best tablets. And frankly, we weren't expecting Google to include a Charging Speaker Dock with the Pixel Tablet. Besides a case, the most common accessories are a stylus and keyboard, and Google has yet to release first-party solutions in either category.
There have been rumors and rumblings about a Pixel-branded USI pen and keyboard case, but it's almost like Google is just holding back. This could be to make them available alongside the Pixel Tablet 2, but those of us who like using tablets as portable workstations have been left to figure out a different solution.
On the bright side, that's not much of an issue, as Penoval makes several excellent USI pens, so at least there's something. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for a keyboard cover. Instead, you'll need to rely on a kickstand case and Bluetooth keyboard.
Let the Speaker Dock work without the tablet
When attached, the Pixel Tablet paired with the Charging Speaker Dock provides an excellent and unexpected experience. But, as soon as you remove the tablet from the dock, you just have a speaker that doesn't work as anything other than a paperweight.
Maybe it was done to avoid cannibalizing sales of the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max, but you can't use the Charging Speaker Dock if the Pixel Tablet isn't attached. We can't help but feel as though this is a major oversight and one that should be remedied.
It's simply disappointing to include a pretty solid speaker only to render it useless whenever you want to pick up your tablet. And we're sure including an upgraded version with the Pixel Tablet 2 would open the door to a bunch of complaints. However, it would make much more sense to let the dock turn into a Nest Audio, of sorts, when you want to pick up and use your tablet and want the music to keep playing.
