Google Gives Up on Tablets
- Paul Thurrott
- Jun 20, 2019
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54
Google has confirmed a new report claiming that it will not follow up its lackluster Pixel Slate. Google has exited the tablet market.
Computerworld’s JR Raphael writes that he learned just today that Google had planned to ship two smaller tablets this year but dropped those plans and will instead focus on laptops. The firm will continue to make new Pixel smartphones too, of course. (Raphael says that “Pixel phones and Pixel computers are [made by] two different departments” within Google.)
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More important, Raphael says that Google confirmed the retreat.
“The news was revealed at an internal company meeting on Wednesday, and Google is currently working to reassign employees who were focused on the abandoned projects onto other areas,” he writes. “Many of them, I’m told, have already shifted over to the laptop side of that same self-made hardware division.”
Google also told Raphael that it was possible that the firm would follow-up its Pixelbook with a new laptop later this year.
As you may recall, this is the second time this year we’ve heard of problems in Google’s hardware business: Google was previously known to be scaling back its hardware ambitions and downsizing the group that makes its laptops and tablets.
“The issue isn’t whether Google is serious or not about hardware,” I wrote at the time. “It’s whether it can succeed in this effort. And it cannot.”
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Conversation 54 comments
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#436562">In reply to MikeGalos:</a></em></blockquote><p>Based on the down-votes, it seems there's a lot of denial here about the viability of tablets. It's been nearly decade since the iPad was introduced and it's very clear that tablets will never be PC replacements.</p>
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Stooks
<blockquote><em><a href="#436537">In reply to digiguy:</a></em></blockquote><p>They have not failed but their numbers have dropped and have been dropping for a while now.</p><p><br></p><p>Until Apple gives us real mouse/trackpad support I will never consider an iPad as anything more than 95% consumption 5% light creation because it is the device in front of me and I do not want to get up and go to a computer.</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#436538">In reply to jaredthegeek:</a></em></blockquote><p>It depends on the kind of trip. A vacation trip to hike a mountain – no laptop or tablet, maybe smartphone. A typical business trip – most likely a smartphone and laptop.</p>
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Stooks
<blockquote><em><a href="#436538">In reply to jaredthegeek:</a></em></blockquote><p>I leave on vacation next week, will be taking my iPhone, iPad and T580 with me. The iPad will be for reading kindle books and watching content on the plane/airport. The laptop will be for anything serious.</p>
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Bats
<p>Exit the tablet market? But the tablet and the laptop are practically the same thing. There is no point. </p><p><br></p><p>As for this quote:</p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“The issue isn’t whether Google is serious or not about hardware,” I wrote at the time. “It’s whether it can succeed in this effort. And it cannot.”</span></p><p><br></p><p>This is the same guy that said Google's efforts to combine Android and Chrome Os has failed. As we all know that was totally WRONG….. Again.</p><p><br></p><p>I have a very good feel on Google, Microsoft, and the tech industry. I can say this because I have been practically right about everything so far….including Microsoft. Google will get back into the "tablet" market, when it feels that it can. However, the term "tablet" will be different (i.e. 360 etc…). Everything can be done on a smartphone anyway so there is no need for a tablet. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>
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Stooks
<blockquote><em><a href="#436530">In reply to Bats:</a></em></blockquote><p>"I can say this because I have been practically right about everything so far"</p><p><br></p><p>Do you get calluses on your hands from patting your self on the back?</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#436589">In reply to Jhambi:</a></em></blockquote><p>Well, Google certainly did better in the small screen space with regard to smartphones, but it hasn't bridged that success into larger screen devices. I'm not sure that some tech folks excitement over Chromebooks running Android apps has spilled over to the general public.</p>
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dontbe evil
<p>Sayonara … list is growing</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>gcemetery.co/</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_products#Discontinued_products_and_services</p>
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Stooks
<p>The future of Stadia is easy to predict. </p>