iPad wins again, Google cancels upcoming tablet products

Posted:
in iPad edited June 2019
Google is officially abandoning its tablet efforts, including two unannounced devices, a spokesperson revealed on Thursday.

Google Pixel Slate


"For Google's first-party hardware efforts, we'll be focusing on Chrome OS laptops and will continue to support Pixel Slate," the person told Business Insider. The exact nature of the cancelled devices is uncertain, but it's confirmed that the company will not produce a follow-up to the Slate, introduced in October.

It did mention that both products were smaller than the 12.3-inch Slate, and meant to ship simultaneously sometime after 2019. It's quality assurance problems that led to them and the entire tablet program being scrapped, Google explained.

Hey, it's true...Google's HARDWARE team will be solely focused on building laptops moving forward, but make no mistake, Android & Chrome OS teams are 100% committed for the long-run on working with our partners on tablets for all segments of the market (consumer, enterprise, edu)

— Rick Osterloh (@rosterloh)


People assigned to the defunct hardware -- numbering around 20 -- were reportedly informed on Wednesday. Most are expected to switch to the Pixelbook laptop team.

Google has struggled to make much headway in the tablet market versus the Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface. While 2012's Nexus 7 was a minor hit -- arguably leading to the iPad mini -- subsequent devices haven't caught on, in part because of an absence of tablet-oriented Android and Chrome OS apps.
AppleExposed
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 74
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,090member
    Android is such a steaming pile of horse manure as it is.  It comes to no surprise that Google has abandoned tablets.  They literally have zero clue what to do.
    racerhomie3trashman69AppleExposedStrangeDaysPeterBloodJWSCmacplusplusmacxpressolslolliver
  • Reply 2 of 74
    marsorrymarsorry Posts: 53member
    Uhm, this is the opposite of a win!  The secret to great products is great competition - losing an adversary doesn't translate into a great win.  This is a pity and the battle moves squarely to Microsoft and its Surface line - who would have thought?
    StumpyBlokeAI_liasAppleExposedJWSCleftoverbaconrogifan_new80s_Apple_Guyolsvukasikapscooter63
  • Reply 3 of 74
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    Good.

     Zero reason to try and compete with the iPad. Concentrate on the Pixel line including the excellent Pixel Book, speakers and Nest gear, areas they are seeing some success in. Don't try to be all things to everyone, it doesn't work and only serves to dilute resources as well as invite comparisons that reflect badly on the rest of Google hardware.

    They will not improve on the iPad experience nor even the Surface line for that matter and to their credit they're recognizing that, but if one of the OEM's thinks they can pull it off then have at it. Google has other projects with much better potential futures that deserve attention.

    Next up: Either give a lot more resources to improving smartwatches, work on much better hardware integration and unique features for a Google-branded one, or stop hardware development in that area too. That's another area failing. Either commit 100% or give it up IMHO. This half-hearted stuff is a silly waste of engineering and manufacturing.
    edited June 2019 gregoriusmroundaboutnowrogifan_newolsmuthuk_vanalingamfotoformat
  • Reply 4 of 74
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,821member
    No, this is a positive move by Google. We just have to wait to have it spun for us.

    marsorry said:
    Uhm, this is the opposite of a win!  The secret to great products is great competition - losing an adversary doesn't translate into a great win.  This is a pity and the battle moves squarely to Microsoft and its Surface line - who would have thought?
    Oops, too late. Ok, if this were needed to ensure great products, how do you explain the success of the iPod, which essentially had no better competitors than the iPad does? It's not like there aren't other crappy devices to choose from -- Samsung makes tablets, right? Just like with the iPod there were other devices, but Apple continue to improve their device. They do so because they want to, not because the market makes them do it.
    edited June 2019 AppleExposedkiltedgreenlolliverpscooter63tycho_macusercat52netmagejbdragonchiawatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 74
    iOS_Guy80iOS_Guy80 Posts: 805member
    marsorry said:
    Uhm, this is the opposite of a win!  The secret to great products is great competition - losing an adversary doesn't translate into a great win.  This is a pity and the battle moves squarely to Microsoft and its Surface line - who would have thought?
    Battle what battle? Hands down Apple iPad any model is far superior to any Surface model. Windows is so 20th century.
    AppleExposedPeterBloodlolliverjbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 74
    marsorry said:
    Uhm, this is the opposite of a win!  The secret to great products is great competition - losing an adversary doesn't translate into a great win.  This is a pity and the battle moves squarely to Microsoft and its Surface line - who would have thought?
    The title says ‘iPad wins again,” but your argument is that reduced competition may turn out to be a loss for consumers. You may be right, but that doesn’t contradict the title. This is a win for Apple and the iPad team.
    StrangeDaysAppleExposedPeterBloodlolliverradarthekatmuthuk_vanalingamjbdragonuraharachiawatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 74
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    From day one Apple has been a hardware manufacturer first and supported that hardware with software. Both Google and Microsoft were founded as software developers and are trying to get into hardware manufacturing. They are finding out just how difficult it is to produce a physical product and to acquire the skills required to do it. Supply chains, factories, packaging, distribution, support, parts, warranties, repair and exchange, all things Apple is supremely skilled at and has been doing for forty years makes a big difference.
    StrangeDaysAppleExposedberndogkiltedgreenmacxpresspscooter63fotoformatcat52jbdragonsweetheart777
  • Reply 8 of 74
    Hardware is hard.
    StrangeDaysAppleExposedcat52netmagewatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 74
    cashxxcashxx Posts: 114member
    sflocal said:
    Android is such a steaming pile of horse manure as it is.  It comes to no surprise that Google has abandoned tablets.  They literally have zero clue what to do.
    I had to help one of our users the other day with a new Samsung and not sure how people can use them!  Such a bloated UI and just simply terrible user experience in my view.  I don't get what people see in using them!
    AppleExposedPeterBloodlolliverradarthekatcat52jbdragonchiawatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 74
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    marsorry said:
    Uhm, this is the opposite of a win!  The secret to great products is great competition - losing an adversary doesn't translate into a great win.  This is a pity and the battle moves squarely to Microsoft and its Surface line - who would have thought?
    That might be true if there were actual competition in the tablet market but there isn’t. The Pixel Slate is no competitor, neither are any of the Android tablets out there. The iPad is so far ahead of the also-rans in this market that it isn’t even close. And with the arrival of iPadOS the gap will become wider and wider. The Surface is just another laptop that runs Windows, pffft.

    Can’t wait for our resident Google spokesperson to explain how this is actually a win for Google and Android.
    edited June 2019 AppleExposedleavingthebigglollivercat52netmagejbdragon
  • Reply 11 of 74
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    Competition isn’t dead, this just means Google recognizes that Apple is creating another OS for iPad and Google isn’t willing to (not enough partners).

    There will still be Android tablets but they will be divested from Google.  They’ll probably be built on the open source Android and have their own store.  Google apps will still be compatible... installing them might be tricky.

    I’m looking into my crystal ball and see Chinese knockoffs.  The biggest problem is the processor... they need ARM (but that will get resolved eventually).

    I think this announcement is the result of the “trade war”.  Google needed Chinese tablet manufacturers to make a dedicated Android tablet viable.  China is being forced away from Google, and vice versa. 
    roundaboutnowJWSCjbdragon
  • Reply 12 of 74
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,821member
    cashxx said:
    sflocal said:
    Android is such a steaming pile of horse manure as it is.  It comes to no surprise that Google has abandoned tablets.  They literally have zero clue what to do.
    I had to help one of our users the other day with a new Samsung and not sure how people can use them!  Such a bloated UI and just simply terrible user experience in my view.  I don't get what people see in using them!
    I do -- my friend didn't want to pay the money for an iPad. That's it. So he got what has turned into another drawer-warmer (and not the good kind!)
    edited June 2019 AppleExposedlolliverradarthekatjbdragon
  • Reply 13 of 74
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    The hypocrisy is amazing. The same people who criticized iPhone XRs resolution turned away when Slate had LOWER resolution with a BIGGER screen. This iWannabe was also laggy. I cover both issues in this video which iKnockoff users spammed the dislike button on LOL!



    Poor thing abandoned after 6 months.

    marsorry said:
    Uhm, this is the opposite of a win!  The secret to great products is great competition - losing an adversary doesn't translate into a great win.  This is a pity and the battle moves squarely to Microsoft and its Surface line - who would have thought?

    Oh great the "competition pushes Apple" meme. Since when has Apple reacted to knockoffs? If 100% of iPad knockoffs left the market do you really think Apple would stop updating iPad? Apple pushes Apple and innovation drives innovation.
    lolliverradarthekatpscooter63netmagejbdragonkiltedgreen
  • Reply 14 of 74
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    lkrupp said:
    From day one Apple has been a hardware manufacturer first and supported that hardware with software. Both Google and Microsoft were founded as software developers and are trying to get into hardware manufacturing. They are finding out just how difficult it is to produce a physical product and to acquire the skills required to do it. Supply chains, factories, packaging, distribution, support, parts, warranties, repair and exchange, all things Apple is supremely skilled at and has been doing for forty years makes a big difference.
    Not quite right. Macs are not really a success story. The reason Microsoft and Google failed in hardware is their products failed to attract a lot of buyers. It is as simple as that. 
  • Reply 15 of 74
    toysandmetoysandme Posts: 243member
    You can only flog a dead horse so long. 
  • Reply 16 of 74
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member

    cashxx said:
    sflocal said:
    Android is such a steaming pile of horse manure as it is.  It comes to no surprise that Google has abandoned tablets.  They literally have zero clue what to do.
    I had to help one of our users the other day with a new Samsung and not sure how people can use them!  Such a bloated UI and just simply terrible user experience in my view.  I don't get what people see in using them!
    I do -- my friend didn't want to pay the money for an iPad. That's it. So he got what has turned into another drawer-warmer (and not the good kind!)
    What a scrooge! The lease expensive iPad now is $329. 
    AppleExposedlolliver
  • Reply 17 of 74
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    tzeshan said:
    lkrupp said:
    From day one Apple has been a hardware manufacturer first and supported that hardware with software. Both Google and Microsoft were founded as software developers and are trying to get into hardware manufacturing. They are finding out just how difficult it is to produce a physical product and to acquire the skills required to do it. Supply chains, factories, packaging, distribution, support, parts, warranties, repair and exchange, all things Apple is supremely skilled at and has been doing for forty years makes a big difference.
    Not quite right. Macs are not really a success story. The reason Microsoft and Google failed in hardware is their products failed to attract a lot of buyers. It is as simple as that. 
    Windows hardware didn't "win". Microsoft whored out the OS to 3rd party manufacturers who sold it for them. When Microsoft decided to try hardware they failed.

    It's also conveniently unfair to compare 100s of companies VS. Apple. Macs are doing well today.


    lolliverjbdragonchia
  • Reply 18 of 74
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    tzeshan said:
    lkrupp said:
    From day one Apple has been a hardware manufacturer first and supported that hardware with software. Both Google and Microsoft were founded as software developers and are trying to get into hardware manufacturing. They are finding out just how difficult it is to produce a physical product and to acquire the skills required to do it. Supply chains, factories, packaging, distribution, support, parts, warranties, repair and exchange, all things Apple is supremely skilled at and has been doing for forty years makes a big difference.
    Not quite right. Macs are not really a success story. The reason Microsoft and Google failed in hardware is their products failed to attract a lot of buyers. It is as simple as that. 
    Windows hardware didn't "win". Microsoft whored out the OS to 3rd party manufacturers who sold it for them. When Microsoft decided to try hardware they failed.

    It's also conveniently unfair to compare 100s of companies VS. Apple. Macs are doing well today.


    That was my point. Apple once permitted third parties to manufacture Macs. It failed miserable, Apple almost went bankrupt as a consequence. 
  • Reply 19 of 74
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    lkrupp said:
    marsorry said:
    Uhm, this is the opposite of a win!  The secret to great products is great competition - losing an adversary doesn't translate into a great win.  This is a pity and the battle moves squarely to Microsoft and its Surface line - who would have thought?
    Can’t wait for our resident Google spokesperson to explain how this is actually a win for Google and Android.
    LOL.
    https://forums.appleinsider.com/discussion/comment/3168838/#Comment_3168838

    You are certainly a funny but confused guy. Had you not blocked me you would have already seen my post you apparently are now interested in afterall.
    Perhaps someone will come along and quote me so you don't have to continue waiting for something you couldn't otherwise read.



    edited June 2019 muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 20 of 74
    marsorry said:
    Uhm, this is the opposite of a win!  The secret to great products is great competition - losing an adversary doesn't translate into a great win.  This is a pity and the battle moves squarely to Microsoft and its Surface line - who would have thought?

    Apple has competition - they’re known as Windows 2-in-1’s, Windows laptops and to some extent those useless Chromebooks. Apple keeps improving the iPad (and now iPadOS) not because they’re threatened by Android tablets (which have been terrible for years now), but because they want to move into these markets.
    AppleExposedlolliver
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