What you need to know
- A set of Google Pixel Tablet renders appeared online, revealing an interesting hardware component.
- The upcoming tablet will apparently include a privacy switch for turning off the mic and camera.
- This may be similar to the button that performs the same function on Nest Hub displays.
Google used last year's I/O event to remind consumers that it is still making a tablet, teasing plans to release the Pixel Tablet sometime in 2023. It was immediately clear that the device would resemble something from the Nest lineup, and a new set of renders seems to back up this idea.
New images shared on Twitter by leaker SnoopyTech show what the Pixel Tablet looks like from the front and back. The renders suggest that Google has slapped extra hardware onto the side of the tablet near the rear camera.
A closer inspection reveals what appears to be a physical switch, presumably for privacy purposes. It is similar to the privacy button found on the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max, which is designed to turn off the microphone and camera (for the Nest Hub Max) if you require privacy.
It's worth noting that we haven't seen this button in previous leaks and photos that have so far showcased Google's upcoming tablet. The privacy switch sits on the top left edge of the device, as shown in the tweet below, which is something you don't frequently see on many of the best Android tablets.
Still not sure if this was the best design pic.twitter.com/o9e7iBBnR9April 13, 2023
Of course, it's no secret that the tablet will double as a smart display with a docking station to boot. So, it stands to reason that the Pixel Tablet will include a physical privacy toggle so it's easier to prevent it from listening in via the mic or watching your private moments via the camera.
This isn't Google's first foray into the tablet market, but the search giant is making it clear that it's shaking things up. While Google hasn’t shared much in the way of specs, we know the device will run on a Google Tensor chipset, the same processor ticking beneath Google's Pixel phones.
