Google launches its first Pixel Tablet, its mighty Apple iPad rival

By Abhik Sengupta

The Google Pixel Tablet was officially launched at the Google I/O 2023 tonight (May 10). The company teased the device first at the Pixel 7 series launch in October last year. The new product also marks Google’s entry into the tablet, which is mostly dominated by Apple’s iPads and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S and A-series products. Google states the tablet market has not significantly “changed” and the Pixel Tablet would address these problems.

It is powered by Google’s proprietary Google Tensor G2 SoC, which also features in Google Pixel 7 smartphone series. The Google Pixel Tablet is available in three colours, giving customers ample amount of options.

Google Pixel Tablet prices

The Google Pixel Tablet starts at $499, which is roughly Rs 40,000 for the base 128GB storage model. Google has clarified that the Pixel Tablet is available for pre-order in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Japan and Australia today, and sale starts on June 20. It means the tablet will not be sold in India.

Google is also bundling the charging dock for free.

Google Pixel Tablet specifications

Since the display is a key element on tablets, Google has added an 11-inch LCD screen (10.95 to be exact) on the Pixel Tablet that puts it in direct competition against Apple’s iPad 10th-gen (10.9-inch). The 11-inch display size may also be favoured by many who want a much more portable device and not a laptop-like device with a 13-inch screen and above. As expected, the display has touch support, and users can also get a stylus (sold separately) for creating content or just random scribbling.

The display on the Pixel Tablet offers 2560×1600 (Full-HD+) resolution and a standard 60Hz refresh rate. The bezels around the display are relatively thick, but that’s understandable to offer users a good grip and prevent accidental touches.

There’s also an 8-megapixel camera at the front in horizontal orientation, which is a preferred option for many tablet users. It is unlike the front camera in portrait orientation on Apple iPads. Under the hood, the Pixel Tablet is powered by Tensor G2 SoC and a 27Wh battery. The tablet is promised to deliver up to 12 hours of playback time.

The rear panel, which has a ceramic-like finish, houses an 8-megapixel camera. There’s no LED flash which might disappoint a few customers.

Google Pixel Tablet features and functionalities

Since it is a Google tablet, the Pixel Tablet is powered by Android, likely Android 13 at first. It means you can expect exclusive Pixel features – be it for photography or productivity. Some of the Google apps are also optimised for this form factor.

Additionally, if you’re already using Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Messages, Photos, Drive, and YouTube, you can expect cross-connectivity. It means users do not have to worry about transferring. Speaking of data transferring, there’s also Nearby Share, Google’s answer to AirDrop to share files wirelessly and seamlessly.

Other key features of the tablet include quad speaker system, three microphones, a USB-C charging port, side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and support for Wi-Fi 6. Google has also unveiled a hub that doubles as a speaker, making the Google Pixel Tablet an Amazon Echo Show-like portable device. The hub also acts like a charger and Pixel tablet can turn into a digital photo frame.