Sep 20, 2023 23:00:00

The contents of Google's genuine 11-inch tablet 'Pixel Tablet' are strangely sparse, and there is a possibility that the plan was changed during development

Google's genuine Android 11-inch tablet '

Pixel Tablet ', which was released on June 20, 2023, is characterized by the fact that it comes with a 'charging speaker holder' that combines charging and speaker functions. It also has a ' hub mode ' that allows you to use the assistant. When iFixit, an electronics repair company, released an image of the disassembled Pixel Tablet, Ron Amadeo, a writer for technology media Ars Technica, pointed out that the contents of the Pixel Tablet were surprisingly empty.

Google Pixel Tablet Battery Replacement - iFixit Repair Guide
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Google+Pixel+Tablet+Battery+Replacement/162484

The Pixel Tablet is actually just a few spare parts in a half-empty body | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/09/the-pixel-tablet-is-actually-just-a-few-spare-parts-in-a-half-empty-body/

The Google Pixel Tablet is empty inside than you would think
https://www.androidpolice.com/google-pixel-tablet-teardown-emptier-inside-than-you-think/

Google announced the new tablet Pixel Tablet in May 2022, and the Pixel Tablet was released one year later in June 2023. GIGAZINE acquired the Pixel Tablet immediately after its release and reviewed its appearance, benchmark results , battery life and charging time , video playback using Chromecast, etc.

Photo review of Google's genuine Android tablet 'Google Pixel Tablet' that comes with an unexpected speaker - GIGAZINE

iFixit has published a guide for replacing the Pixel Tablet's battery and screen yourself, which includes photos that show the internal structure of the Pixel Tablet. Below is a photo of the Pixel Tablet with the screen removed and you can see what's inside. The white part in the background is the plastic cover on the back, and it certainly looks like there is plenty of space.

Regarding the internal structure of the Pixel Tablet, Amadeo said, ``This internal photo of this tablet is amazing. It's half empty. Normally, high-end and even low-end devices have components that all fit together like perfect puzzle pieces. The interior of the Pixel Tablet looks like a box of spare parts, with a huge amount of space between each component. There is.”

'Half empty' may be an exaggeration, but not all visible components are necessary for the tablet's functionality, and some blocks are simply used to fill space and increase structural rigidity. It is said that it has been placed. You can also see some cables connecting the components, but these are generally seen on desktop PCs and notebook PCs, not on mobile devices that aim to save space.

Amadeo said, 'If Google had followed modern design principles, they could have fit something like a dramatically larger battery or better cooling or bigger speakers inside. I have never seen a device costing $500 (sales price in Japan is about 79,800 yen) appear,'' he said, criticizing the content as being too sparse for a mid-range tablet made by Google.

Regarding the reason why the Pixel Tablet has a strange internal structure, Amadeo said, ``The Pixel Tablet was originally developed as a smart display, but with the downsizing of Google Assistant, the policy changed and it was eventually released as a tablet. I'm guessing that's the case.

It was reported that Google will downsize its Google Assistant division in 2022, and support for Google Assistant's Conversational Actions will end in June 2023. Assistants continued to decline. On the other hand, in August 2023, it was reported that ``Google is trying to improve Google Assistant with generated AI'', which may also affect Pixel Tablets in the future.

Amadeo also thinks that the Pixel Tablet could have been released as a smaller tablet instead of 11 inches because the component size itself is small in the first place. Later in the design process, it was decided to release a larger device than originally, which may have created space inside.