iPad wins again, Google cancels upcoming tablet products
Google is officially abandoning its tablet efforts, including two unannounced devices, a spokesperson revealed on Thursday.

"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.
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.

"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.

Comments
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.
marsorry said: 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.
Can’t wait for our resident Google spokesperson to explain how this is actually a win for Google and Android.
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.
Poor thing abandoned after 6 months.
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.
What a scrooge! The lease expensive iPad now is $329.
It's also conveniently unfair to compare 100s of companies VS. Apple. Macs are doing well today.
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.
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.