The Android Tablet Problem

[Mrbiggestman]

forget about the geek speak and look at the basic everyday normal person experience, you don't REALLY need a tablet period, there's nothing that requires a tablet.

but there are lots of things that require a phone, there are some things that require a computer. That's why if you buy one thing you buy a phone, if you want to buy another thing, it makes the most sense to buy a computer. Only then, if you still have money around, you might buy a tablet.

Apple is the only one that can sell some tablets because apple dominates in the high end market where people have money to throw around even after they've bought a phone and a computer.

A laptop doesn’t have a rear camera and mixed with a phone, its a distraction like no other.

Imo a laptop is more of a distraction than a tablet. going on the internet downloading stuff (getting distracted other websites)<<<< an app store where you will only be allowed to download certain content.

‘but there are lots of things that require a phone’- like looking at social media, making phone calls and an addictive screen size. I can’t think of one time I’ve been productive on a phone.

accessories for a tablet can make the device anything you want. add a keyboard and mouse or trackpad, you get an on the go laptop. disconnect the keyboard, it becomes a gaming device, content device, on the go device and it fits into any situation. A laptop cannot do nearly as good in any of those situations

 

[dumastudetto]

If you want to see the lack of commitment to Android tablets then Samsung is the perfect example. They'll sell you cutting-edge hardware at $1000+, but will only provide software & security updates quarterly from launch day. Even their budget 2+ year old A series phones get monthly updates. They are now at least guaranteeing you 7 years of quarterly updates on the Galaxy Tab S11 line.

 

[schnaps]

>>2)I can download all my apps straight off the app store.

The problem is not how to download apps - the natural way or through an unnecessary intermediary.
An application may require tweaks, plugins, and backups, and an extra intermediary gets in the way.
The device itself and its file system require network.
In iOs and Android, the Samba implementation is primitive and unergonomic. It's not properly implemented.

>> 4) Just use a dock

A tablet with docking station in bag will definitely lose out to a laptop in terms of mobility and convenience.
But if you add two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, the tablet will be fully functional in terms of ports.
(Some Windows tablets have 2-3 USB ports. And it's convenient.)
An SD card slot, or even better, a removable SSD drive, will make the tablet a truly superior device.
It would be nice if the alternative to a desktop was a tablet, but not a tablet with a bag of snot and crutches.

>>5) Just use a screen protector and case.

The only working screen protector is a keyboard case. And this solution is thicker than a laptop.

 

[Technerd108]

It comes down to Google. They let us down after “Honeycomb” when they forked Android to focus on tablet specific apps and other improvements. It never happened and after a year Google forked Android Tablets back into mainstream Android. They have consistently abandoned projects like Google Chrome OS tablets, Pixel books? Etc.

So since Honeycomb all Android tablets have been an afterthought. Most OEM's will put together some decent or even great hardware but barely support the tablet after sale. Most give 2 years of quarterly updates if that. The one exception is Samsung and was Google with the Pixel tab which apparently they abandoned too. They are not making a Pixel tab 2 which was expected and a new direction in tablet software was also expected to help other OEM'S. Now who knows what the direction will be, guess it is back up t o Samsung and gang to figure it out.

Until Google gets serious about tablets like they seem to be doing with their phones the Android tablet market is like a ship without a captain. It can maintain course, it can go for a long time without problems but no new decisions can be made without the captain thus the problem Android tablets face. They are good enough for casual use. For some people they are great but Android suffers from good tablet optimized apps. There are no good art or graphic design, animation type apps like there are on iPadOS. So that hurts Pro designers trying to use a high end Samsung tablet. Then you have quarterly updates which sucks. Apps are basically scaled up phone apps.

Compare that with say the cheapest iPad air sold by Apple now? M2 or m3 iPad air can be bought new for around $400 base model. There is no $400 Android tablet that compares with the speed, performance, smooth operations, tablet optimized apps, better apps, etc. Sure the air has a 60hz lcd screen but it is a damn nice one.
It only has stereo speakers but they sound great. The m chips just smoke anything on the Android side for many hundred dollars more. Like you could get the fastest best Samsung s tab out now and compare it's processor to an air with m3 or m4 and it will perform as well or better. Apple updates are much better. Buy an Apple pencil and you can use the air with graphic design and animation apps to produce Pro level animations and designs.

You can still get the Pixel Tablet and it may be cheaper than the iPad air but it has an older tensor chip but software wise the Pixel tab was very good and I am really sad they are not making a line of Pixel tablets to directly compete with iPad because only Google could really do it.

 

[rb2112]

He’s confused why people don’t want to spend $700 on an android tablet….


It’s not a huge mystery. The problem is in the name.

Marques did not seem confused by the name. He said "who is going to buy one" because of the (to many) redundant services provided by a tablet for those who have a phone and computer. So if people done NEED the tablet...they would not WANT to spend $700.

 

[Sensamic]

It comes down to Google. They let us down after “Honeycomb” when they forked Android to focus on tablet specific apps and other improvements. It never happened and after a year Google forked Android Tablets back into mainstream Android. They have consistently abandoned projects like Google Chrome OS tablets, Pixel books? Etc.

So since Honeycomb all Android tablets have been an afterthought. Most OEM's will put together some decent or even great hardware but barely support the tablet after sale. Most give 2 years of quarterly updates if that. The one exception is Samsung and was Google with the Pixel tab which apparently they abandoned too. They are not making a Pixel tab 2 which was expected and a new direction in tablet software was also expected to help other OEM'S. Now who knows what the direction will be, guess it is back up t o Samsung and gang to figure it out.

Until Google gets serious about tablets like they seem to be doing with their phones the Android tablet market is like a ship without a captain. It can maintain course, it can go for a long time without problems but no new decisions can be made without the captain thus the problem Android tablets face. They are good enough for casual use. For some people they are great but Android suffers from good tablet optimized apps. There are no good art or graphic design, animation type apps like there are on iPadOS. So that hurts Pro designers trying to use a high end Samsung tablet. Then you have quarterly updates which sucks. Apps are basically scaled up phone apps.

Compare that with say the cheapest iPad air sold by Apple now? M2 or m3 iPad air can be bought new for around $400 base model. There is no $400 Android tablet that compares with the speed, performance, smooth operations, tablet optimized apps, better apps, etc. Sure the air has a 60hz lcd screen but it is a damn nice one.
It only has stereo speakers but they sound great. The m chips just smoke anything on the Android side for many hundred dollars more. Like you could get the fastest best Samsung s tab out now and compare it's processor to an air with m3 or m4 and it will perform as well or better. Apple updates are much better. Buy an Apple pencil and you can use the air with graphic design and animation apps to produce Pro level animations and designs.

You can still get the Pixel Tablet and it may be cheaper than the iPad air but it has an older tensor chip but software wise the Pixel tab was very good and I am really sad they are not making a line of Pixel tablets to directly compete with iPad because only Google could really do it.

All Apple needs to do is give the next Air a 120Hz screen and it’s like game over for Android tablets. That’s the biggest gripe with Apple’s tablets: 60Hz screen in base and mid-tier lineup. Rumor is iPad Mini and Air will eventually get an OLED screen too.

I still like Android software more (it’s more computer like), but yeah, it’s hard to compete with Apple and their update policy.

 

[yui4]

Does Samsung offer same 7 (or whatever it is) year support for tablets as its phones?

 

[MarkX]

Does Samsung offer same 7 (or whatever it is) year support for tablets as its phones?

For their top tablets I believe it's 7 years and for the midrange I think it's still 4.

 

[Queen6]

I have an Honor 13" tablet that's very loosely based on Android. It's easily a competitor to my 13" M1 MBP, has an 8 speaker sound system with Dolby, 16Gb RAM, 1TB of storage, powered by Snapdragon, has the latest silicon based battery tech. Can emulate PC programs, came with most SW you would typically need. Honor just updated the OS and threw in the pro version of WPS Office...👍

It's loaded with AI, has a learning curve but the more I use it the less I use the Mac as for the first time ever it's simply not as versatile as the tablet with it's KB case the tablet is basically a PC just smaller, lighter with a battery runtime that embarrasses most and the 13" M1 MBP is no slouch in that direction.

Previously my go to on the road would be my 12" W10 tablet PC or the M1 MBP, both now are kind of redundant as the Honor can do what they both can and a lot more...

Q-6

 

[Mrbiggestman]

I have an Honor 13" tablet that's very loosely based on Android. It's easily a competitor to my 13" M1 MBP, has an 8 speaker sound system with Dolby, 16Gb RAM, 1TB of storage, powered by Snapdragon and the latest silicon based battery tech. Can emulate PC programs, came with most SW you would typically need. Honor just updated the OS and threw in the pro version of WPS Office...👍

It's loaded with AI, has a learning curve but the more I use it the less I use the Mac as for the first time ever it's simply not as versatile as the tablet with it's KB case the tablet is basically a PC just smaller, lighter with a battery runtime that embarrasses most and the 13" M1 MBP IS no slouch in that direction.

Previously my go to on the road would be my 12" W10 tablet PC or the M1 MBP, both now are kind of redundant as the Honor do what they both can and a lot more...

Q-6

imo the only problem I have with andriod tablets is its multitasking. I just find that multi windowing is better than having 2 windows side by side and takes better use of real estate. Thats why I like ipadOS 26 so much.

AI is good when it provides a useful purpose but I still haven't gotten around to using any apple intellience features on my mac mini compared to CTS on my andriod phone.

 

[Ludatyk]

imo the only problem I have with andriod tablets is its multitasking. I just find that multi windowing is better than having 2 windows side by side and takes better use of real estate. Thats why I like ipadOS 26 so much.

Since the Galaxy Fold give me a tablet experience... I find both iPadOS 26 and OneUI have certain aspects I like over the other, so it's difficult for me to favor one over the other in terms of multitasking.

I get an Edge Panel on the Fold that assist in multitasking... which doesn't exist on iPadOS and I like the whole Stage Manager environment with Recent Apps on the left side. So, it's toss up for me... I enjoy both equally.

 

[Queen6]

imo the only problem I have with andriod tablets is its multitasking. I just find that multi windowing is better than having 2 windows side by side and takes better use of real estate. Thats why I like ipadOS 26 so much.

AI is good when it provides a useful purpose but I still haven't gotten around to using any apple intellience features on my mac mini compared to CTS on my andriod phone.

I'm big into multitasking, the Honor can and does; it runs multiple desktop's similar to a PC, why else would it have 16 GB RAM?

The AI is useful and purposeful doesn't get in your way, yet can step in when your stuck. Asked it if it was attached to DeepSeek said no. it's Honor's own LLM, but if I want to leverage DeepSeek is an option...

Was stuck on a word as was in an image, the tablet's AI made short work of that both translating & referencing. Something macOS or W11 is currently incapable of...

Q-6