Google's Not Going to Make Tablets Anymore

[code-m]

This makes no sense to me given Google's emphasis on improving the tablet experience in Chrome OS. So they're probably just going to focus on clamshell chromebooks and 2-in-1s.

Looks like it's back to the iPad Pro when the time comes to move on from the Pixelbook.

I believe you are correct, Google mentioned awhile ago that they wanted to focus on ChromeOS as the successor to AndroidOS. ChromeOS initially on 2-in1s then onto mobile devices. Considering one can run android apps on ChromeOS, it only makes sense to redirect the focus to make a compelling product. Chrome books have seen wide acceptance in many schools, I think it is a good move.

 

[macfacts]

Android dominates the disposable tablet market. Nobody buys expensive Android tablets, and why would you? To run those Fisher Price blown up toy phone Apps?

Where’s Photoshop for Android? Oh right, Adobe isn’t making it. But they have made it for the iPad, and it rips. Curious, is Photoshop for content consumption only?

iPads also completely and totally dominate the corporate/enterprise market with 90% of devices. So much for your “consumption” only FUD.

Blown up phone apps lol, I've never heard anyone complain their windows programs they use on 27" monitors are just blown up from 21" monitors.

"Blown up apps" is a non issue problem iOS fans made up.

Show me a PDF reader on the iPad that is not just a iPhone app blown up. Show me a web browser for the iPad that isn't just the iPhone version blown up. Show me a game for the iPad that isn't just a blown up version of the iPhone.

 

[code-m]

There are some experienced Apple customers who would love to disagree with you.

Aperture, iPhoto, iTools, .Mac, iDVD, AirPort Extreme/Express, Final Cut Pro (not X), DVD Studio Pro, iMovie HD, Mac OS X Server (the decent version), upgradable MacBooks, upgradable Mac Pros (that don’t cost the price of an SUV)...

Shall I go on?

And for the record, it’s not as if any of these products were technologically backwater or so arcane as to prohibit updates. Apple just decided they didn’t care to offer them anymore. Which royally screwed many a well-designed workflow without palatable alternatives.

Just make sure you remove those rose-tinted glasses every once in a while.

Don’t forget the soon to be added iTunes. Matter of opinion if one likes it or not

 

[macfacts]

Android tablets were already dying. This puts the last nail in the coffin. What has Google announced at I/O 2018 or 2019 related to tablets? Bonus points if you can find anything.

Lol. I hope you know everything apple has announced for the iPad, android tablets could already do.

 

[chatin]

Big expense and lots of unsold inventory. Someone just looking at numbers and recommending cuts. The company has lost its soul.

 

[Homme]

Thank god. I don’t know why they bothered with the tablet market considering fail after fail after fail for Google

This is a win for Apple over Google

 

[JosephAW]

My friend got a acre $199 chrome book and it worked pretty good for web surfing. They should stick to that.

 

[realtuner]

Lol. I hope you know everything apple has announced for the iPad, android tablets could already do.

Like have an actual ecosystem of high-end Apps instead of the blown-up kiddie Apps on Android tablets? Google doesn’t even have an App store for Android tablets. They used to many years ago, but it had so few Apps they shut it down.

 

[Ghost31]

There's still an argument to be made there with mobile version of Safari (i'm talking pre-iOS 13 beta) and other elements in my honest opinion and that stigma will never really fully go away, but compared to blown up Android, it definitely starts to feel like a different experience or at minimum a more polished one.

I've also never really understood the 'iPad or mac' or 'Ipad or PC' debate. Or Cook's sentiment that iPad can replace the Mac. A phone can replace the Mac too, for lots of people their phone is their personal computer and they dont have a computer or a tablet... What's wrong with using the tool you want or need at the time, but having both if thats what you want? Whats the problem , from narratieve perspective either from Apple? That's sales of two products.

We're all tech gluttons. Forcing yourself to simplify your gear roster with locked down devices can lead to unneeded complexity to get the job done.

A lot of it is tribal. All the people that use iPads that get offended whenever anyone says “you can’t do actual work on a tablet” and argue until they’re blue in the face. Same with the laptop crowd. A lot of people just get in this weird justification mindset of “I use this device and like it. Therefore that’s kinda the team I’m on”. Just like politics and other things. But really, the safest place to be is chill. Just chill out and enjoy what you want and accept different people enjoy different things
[doublepost=1561085820][/doublepost]

ok..... but its good to have competition.

They were never really competition. I think that’s what disappoints people. It seems in theory like it should be pretty easy to make an excellent tablet and yet google was so bad at it

 

[subjonas]

I think slates are good for smaller devices, but I would actually prefer an iPP in a convertible laptop form factor! I find the floppy keyboard cover/stand cumbersome, and I don’t feel the need to take it completely off very often. But I might be a minority.

 

[Baymowe335]

It’s not that cheap.

It’s cheap in comparison to a MacBook.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Blown up phone apps lol, I've never heard anyone complain their windows programs they use on 27" monitors are just blown up from 21" monitors.

"Blown up apps" is a non issue problem iOS fans made up.

Show me a PDF reader on the iPad that is not just a iPhone app blown up. Show me a web browser for the iPad that isn't just the iPhone version blown up. Show me a game for the iPad that isn't just a blown up version of the iPhone.

Umm, I have a surface pro 2017 so I have clearly given up on making an iPad Pro an end-all be-all device.

That said, here are a list of Pro level apps that are NOT blown up iPhone apps:

Pixelmator
Affinity Photo
Procreate
Affinity Designer
Scrivener
Aeon Timeline
Wordpress

That is off the top of my head without it even here. LOL. There are lots more.

 

[EchoplexSE]

Pixel C was their first Pixel tablet but the slate was the first one with Chrome OS

 

[lordofthereef]

I personally don't think you can compete with the surface. Microsoft's new surface go product is absolutely killer, runs full windows 10, and is a peppy little unit. And the 128gb storage 8gb ram with lte model is under $700 (I think $620 right now as of the writing, friend picked one up while visiting here).

I was so impressed that I'm contemplating getting one myself and I haven't bought a tablet or laptop since the original iPad mini.

 

[realtuner]

Blown up phone apps lol, I've never heard anyone complain their windows programs they use on 27" monitors are just blown up from 21" monitors.

"Blown up apps" is a non issue problem iOS fans made up.

Show me a PDF reader on the iPad that is not just a iPhone app blown up. Show me a web browser for the iPad that isn't just the iPhone version blown up. Show me a game for the iPad that isn't just a blown up version of the iPhone.

The reason you don't hear people complain about Windows (or macOS) on different size screens is because they are all running in "desktop" mode with toolbars and a UI to match. They aren't going from a UI designed for a tiny phone screen operated by fingers to a full desktop screen with keyboard/mouse. They are simply switching screen sizes with the same UI.

Since someone has already listed a bunch of iPad optimized Apps I don't feel I need to add to the incredibly long list.

Here's an idea. Why don't you list the ABSOLUTE BEST available Android tablet Apps. Perhaps 5 in different categories. And then I'll list the numerous iOS Apps that will absolutely trounce them in features/capabilities.

It's laughable that anyone would think Android on a tablet is even remotely as good as an iPad.
[doublepost=1561090641][/doublepost]

I believe you are correct, Google mentioned awhile ago that they wanted to focus on ChromeOS as the successor to AndroidOS. ChromeOS initially on 2-in1s then onto mobile devices. Considering one can run android apps on ChromeOS, it only makes sense to redirect the focus to make a compelling product. Chrome books have seen wide acceptance in many schools, I think it is a good move.

Chromebooks are only popular in US schools. Around the world they aren't used much at all.

That said, as an OS Chrome is severely lacking and nowhere near Windows or macOS in capabilities. It's a "wannabee" OS. Adding Android Apps to Chrome is a lost cause. As I already mentioned, developers who are currently too lazy to optimize for Android tablets sure aren't going to start optimizing for Chrome (which is a fraction of the market). There's no value add. And Chrome is lacking in high-end Apps already and will stay that way because of its limitations.

Then Google has Fuchsia. Yet another OS they're working on with no clear idea what they want to do with it. Will it replace Android and Chrome? Will it work alongside them both? Will Chrome and Fuchsia both run Android Apps? Will they let OEMs use Fuchsia like they do Android (causing another mess with updates), or will they license it out like Windows and maintain control? Which OS are they going to prioritize, and what markets do they hope to capture? The desktop is firmly Windows and macOS while mobile is Android and iOS. I just don't see where it fits in and I don't see developers flocking to a new and unproven OS.

 

[fokmik]

I personally don't think you can compete with the surface. Microsoft's new surface go product is absolutely killer, runs full windows 10, and is a peppy little unit. And the 128gb storage 8gb ram with lte model is under $700 (I think $620 right now as of the writing, friend picked one up while visiting here).

I was so impressed that I'm contemplating getting one myself and I haven't bought a tablet or laptop since the original iPad mini.

Dont do it...with the surface go you get a nightmare of an experience...its too low on hardware and touch input for windows 10 is still behind
The best i think is surface laptop, because surface pro 6 you will getting the keyboard as well so...it will be used 99% as a laptop...so just go and buy the surface laptop

 

[Abazigal]

Lol. I hope you know everything apple has announced for the iPad, android tablets could already do.

Which shows a very fundamental misunderstanding of why the ipad is as popular as it is while android tablets are floundering.

The two main factors were apps and hardware. Apple got to the quality tablet apps first, got big business partners onboard with the conviction that the iPad was the future for many PC-prior products and built good tools for building convincing tablet apps first.

Second, most early Android tablet hardware lost the plot, focusing on PC features and forgetting that people actually had to hold these things. You are right that android has had these features since the very start, but these are more for the small percentage of “power users”. For the rest, it simply didn’t matter to them that they couldn’t connect a flash drive or a mouse to their ipad.

At the end of the day, Apple ended up ahead and paired up their tablet development with the iPhone R&D allowing massive leaps fast where their competitors simply couldn’t put that kind of money around a product they were already losing the market with.

Then finally you’re here - where the iPad gained the power user features, the keyboard, the USB support, the built in File Manager. Apple may not have been the first to include these features in their tablet, but it sure looks like they will outlast Android tablets in this regard.

 

[Abazigal]

Except it hasn’t. Still a big iPod touch to me. What changed since introduction to warrant this praise besides a pencil? Limited iOS. Limited apps.

That’s not a bad thing. Just wouldn’t spend more than 200-300 on one.

Maybe you want to check with these people?

Writing
https://www.macstories.net/stories/one-year-of-ipad-pro/

Photography
http://austinmann.com/trek/ipad-pro-photographer-iceland

Teaching

Video editing

Podcast recording
https://birchtree.me/blog/how-to-record-and-edit-a-podcast-with-ferrite-for-ios/

Art
https://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2018/11/14/drawing-on-the-new-ipad

The intent isn’t so much to say you have to do all this on the iPad, but it certainly goes to show that the iPad is a lot more capable than the detractors are giving it credit for. If at the end of it all, you still feel that your Mac or Windows PC is still more suitable, then stick with it by all means.

However, if you wish to get more done on your iPad and more out of it, I do feel the iPad has come a long way. There are more apps and accessories available for it now.

Seriously, would it kill the critics to give the iPad its due recognition?

 

[Khedron]

The current line of Samsung Android tablets, including the S4 and S5e, are quite capable computing devices and do multitasking and file-management much better than iOS, and that includes iOS 13. Not to mention their amazing OLED displays. And before I get accused of being biased - I'm typing this on my iPad running iOS 13 beta 2

S5 just a couple of months away too.

iPad Pro is decent, apart from its flawed structural integrity, but overall Apple's tablet lineup is a bad joke. Pencil support fragmentation, having to spend $1000+ to get a USB port, 7 year old designs, disgusting storage markups...
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Maybe you want to check with these people?

Writing
https://www.macstories.net/stories/one-year-of-ipad-pro/

Photography
http://austinmann.com/trek/ipad-pro-photographer-iceland

Teaching

Video editing

Podcast recording
https://birchtree.me/blog/how-to-record-and-edit-a-podcast-with-ferrite-for-ios/

Art
https://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2018/11/14/drawing-on-the-new-ipad

The intent isn’t so much to say you have to do all this on the iPad, but it certainly goes to show that the iPad is a lot more capable than the detractors are giving it credit for. If at the end of it all, you still feel that your Mac or Windows PC is still more suitable, then stick with it by all means.

However, if you wish to get more done on your iPad and more out of it, I do feel the iPad has come a long way. There are more apps and accessories available for it now.

Seriously, would it kill the critics to give the iPad its due recognition?

The iPad Pro costs laptop money, so of course it's powerful compared to other tablets, but it's completely crippled compared to most devices costing the same money or less.

Tim is basically using the iPad to replace computers because macOS lets people run whatever they want whereas iPadOS guarantees Tim a 30% cut of all software.

 

[Wildkraut]

They got their hands on the latest iPad Pro and realized there was no way they could compete

Well it’s not mainly due to the hardware, but iPad Apps are strong. Their platform does not flourish for paid apps, it’s built on ads, which sucks.

 

[Ubuntu]

The iPad is essentially the only tablet worth using (I’ve tried a few Android ones and was unimpressed). I find that odd. It seems like it should be a more competitive market, but it really isn’t at all. The iPad is practically its own market.

Apple has done well at making the iPad a computer alternative. The Android tablets could never get past the "giant phone" stage (which is how many viewed the iPad when it was first introduced. It's moved far beyond that).

I do feel that could be one of the reasons why the software is a bit lacking with the iPad. There is no need for Apple to move forward as aggressively as they would if they had real competition. I'd also apply this argument to watchOS for the same reasons.

 

[brianmoran.me]

This is why I’d never go to Android or even Google branded products - they never fully see things through and are always just dumping stuff from buying Motorola, to Duo etc .

 

[robjulo]

Did you hold the same opinion with Apple? Who just recently started differentiating.

Has Google finally realised that phone OSs on a large tablet is just a big phone?
Long term Microsoft got it right with the Surface, an OS with desktop power and a touchscreen?

 

[Abazigal]

This is why I’d never go to Android or even Google branded products - they never fully see things through and are always just dumping stuff from buying Motorola, to Duo etc .

Makes you wonder how long Stadia is going to last...

 

[cgsnipinva]

Awesome. They're CLOSE to a laptop. A sandboxed, controlled, limited laptop, by the way. One that can only run software from ONE source. I rather use a REAL laptop instead -- and even save money.
[doublepost=1561074486][/doublepost]

Just because Google decided not to build own tablet hardware anymore doesn't mean that the platform is going away -- Android and Chrome OS are still there. They just leave it to others to build hardware for it. You know, just like Microsoft has always done it. And it could be a smart move for Google to NOT compete with their own OEMs...

Well there was never really any competition for iPad when it was continuously improving. That is because Apple has had a disciplined vision for what they want to do with their different platforms. Even if it consternated we users at many times. However, if you look at the progression of iOS on the iPad in the past nine years into what we are seeing with iPadOS (or iOS 13) --- it demonstrates a patience and discipline that Google appears to lack. Google has the technical capability for sure to do these things well (PixelBook is an example and ChromeOS) -- however, they do tend to be reactive.

This is in contrast to Apple which tends to forge into areas where they see opportunity and stick to it. They are more of a leader (not always right) but on the big decisions they tend to stake out their path and stick with it in most cases.

The real killer for the Android/Google tablet was that the native APIs (stock android) did not support the key functionality found in the best Google tablets. Samsung makes a really good tablet having functionality that iPadOS is now just getting. However, this functionality was provided by the third party (Samsung) and as a result the developer community for Android could not leverage those capabilities across all tablet providers.

Apples "app" or application development benefits from its standardized and controlled development environment in this case. The applications available on the iPad are first rate as compared to other tablets. Again the discipline and patience to develop platforms over time is whats needed to succeed into new emerging platforms.

Google could have a greater impact on the market if it didn't see everything as a beta project.