Beyond the Alphabet
Beyond the Alphabet is a weekly column that focuses on the tech world both inside and out of the confines of Mountain View.
About a year from now, you’ll probably start seeing headlines talking about “the end of the Pixel Tablet.” That’s because, as of June 2026, Google will no longer be releasing regular Android updates for its only “current” tablet. Instead, it will only receive security updates until those come to an end in 2028.
Late last year, rumors were ramping up that Google was working on at least one successor, possibly two. But it didn’t take long for those rumors to get squashed, leaving only the slimmest of hopes for a surprise. Unfortunately, that surprise has yet to be revealed, and since we haven’t heard anything by now, it’s probably safe to say that Google’s latest tablet experience is over.
The Pixel Tablet keeps getting left out
There are a few things that don’t make any sense about Google’s handling of the Pixel Tablet. First, I don’t understand why the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will see OS updates until 2027. All three devices are powered by the Tensor G2, while the Pixel 7 and Tablet both include 8GB of RAM. So if Google claims it’s a hardware limitation, there’s a pretty good chance it’s blowing smoke.
Google changed its plans in December 2024 when it extended software updates for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series by another two years. But nowhere in that announcement did Google have anything to say about the Tablet, almost as if it forgot that it even exists.
Don’t get me wrong, the Pixel Tablet isn’t perfect, but I like to think that it helped Google hone in on improving the Android experience on larger screens. If it weren’t for the Pixel Tablet, there’s a good chance that the Pixel Fold could’ve been a complete failure, resulting in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold being shelved.
That’s probably just me overthinking things a bit, but it’s also not outside the realm of possibility.
I also understand that the Pixel Tablet can’t take advantage of everything that Gemini has to offer. This is a big reason why I thought we would’ve seen a Pixel Tablet 2 by now. Gemini has continued to improve, and it’s finally reached the point that it’s replacing Assistant for good. And while you can use the Gemini app, practically none of its features will be performed locally on the Tablet, instead relying on the cloud.
Missing out on the full capabilities of Gemini might not seem like all that big of a deal, but there’s still an unaddressed elephant in the room that Google continues to ignore — the Pixel Tablet is a better Nest Hub Max.
The Pixel Tablet is the Nest Hub Max 2 we never got
This is why I don’t want the Pixel Tablet to die yet. I mostly keep mine on the Charging Speaker Dock, as it’s more responsive than either the Nest Hub Max in my kitchen or the Nest Hub in my living room when I need to control my smart home. Plus, Hub Mode turns the Tablet into the hub for my smart home, putting all of the controls right on the screen and within arm’s reach at my desk.
Again, I know that things won’t just stop working even when Google stops sending security patches. But I’m not quite sure how I feel about letting the Pixel Tablet continue controlling my smart home when it’s not as up-to-date or secure as it could be (granted, 2028 is still a while off). And like I said before, it’s been better for me than the Nest Hub Max, so why would I want a downgraded experience?
I’ve taken a cursory glance at custom ROMs, just to get a basic idea of what might be available come this time next year. So far, I’ve found LineageOS and /e/OS, but I still have more research to do before coming to any kind of decision. I mean, I don’t want to go through the headache of dusting off my rooting skills just to find that the dock doesn’t work or that there’s some other feature that’s missing. But that’s for future me to worry about.
Ultimately, I would just love for Google to solve this problem for me by releasing either a new Pixel Tablet or Nest Hub Max. Or, it could do something it’s never done and release an update that turns the former into the latter for good. Even if that means shipping the dumbed-down interface found on Google’s smart displays, it would still be better than not having the Pixel Tablet at all.
Google I/O could be a make-it-or-break-it moment
At this rate, I’d settle for a refreshed Pixel Tablet, with the only change being an upgraded chip for the sake of longer software support. It doesn’t even have to be the Tensor G4, as the Tensor G3-powered Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will receive updates until October 2030.
Do I think any of this is going to happen? Nope. But if something were to happen, I/O 2025 is right around the corner, and that’s probably when some type of announcement would be made.
I’m just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best. Maybe putting this out into the ethos will result in getting what I want. It’s already happened with Chromebooks, as I wrote about the “slow demise” of the platform, only for MediaTek to announce a brand new chip. C’mon Google, make a liar out of me, please.
