Google has reportedly canceled its upcoming Pixel Tablet 2 over concerns about demand, in a move that could signal a retreat from the tablet market.
The Pixel Tablet brought Google’s Pixel design aesthetic to tablets, giving Android fans a first-party tablet that showcased the very best of what Android could offer in that form factor. A second version of the tablet was believed to be slated for 2025, but Android Authority is reporting that Google has pulled the plug.
Citing a credible source withing Google, AA’s Mishaal Rahman says Google canceled the second-gen tablet over fears it “would lose money on it.” The decision is disappointing given that the Pixel Tablet 2 promised to be a substantial upgrade over the first-gen model, with a newer chipset, official keyboard, and improved camera.
Even more concerning, however, is the implication that Google may be abandoning the tablet market altogether. News broke earlier this week that the company is working to convert Chrome OS into Android, a move that would greatly improve Android’s tablet-oriented features and help Android tablets better compete with Apple’s iPad.
If Google is abandoning the Pixel Tablet line—and pulling back from the tablet market altogether—Android users will once again have to rely on third-party companies for a non-Apple tablet.