8 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 64
NEWS
A spokesperson from Google said: “Chrome OS
has grown in popularity across a broad range of form
factors and we’ll continue to work with our ecosystem
of partners on laptops and tablets. For Google’s first-
party hardware efforts, we’ll be focusing on Chrome
OS laptops and will continue to support Pixel Slate.”
That’s probably for the best. While Google’s
Android phones and Chrome OS laptops are among
the best in the business, it’s tablets leave much to be
desired. They might look pretty in renders, but neither
of Google’s consumer tablets were able to hold a
candle to the iPad or Surface, and Google hasn’t
committed to a regular update schedule. The Pixel
C launched in 2015 and hasn’t received a hardware
update since then – and it stopped receiving Android
updates over a year ago with Oreo 8.1.
Truth be told, Google never really embraced
Android on tablets, and Chrome OS is better suited for
a convertible laptop form factor. Google transformed
the Chrome OS UI with version 70, giving it distinct
interfaces for keyboard- and touch-centric form
factors, but it’s still more at home as a laptop than a
tablet. My experience with the Pixel Slate was less-
than-stellar, despite truly gorgeous hardware.
This decision could pave the way for a new
Pixelbook this year. Rumours have suggested that
Google is working on a follow-up to its premium
Chrome OS-based laptop, and the working of its
statement conspicuously leaves the door wide open
for a new laptop. But if you’re waiting for a smaller or
a cheaper Pixel Slate, you’re out of luck.