Exclusive: Here’s what the canceled Pixel Tablet 2 would have been

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

When Google launched the Pixel Tablet in 2022, many found it underwhelming — especially at its launch price. It simply didn’t offer anything compelling enough to make it worth buying at the time, but as time went on, updates made it a much better device — both as a tablet and a smart display.

With all the work Google’s been putting into its tablet software it seemed like it cared about the category, but last week it was revealed that the device that would’ve been Pixel Tablet 2 had been canceled. This is even weirder considering Google has specifically modified the 2027 Tensor G6 to support new features for tablets, showing it had long term plans for the future of the Pixel Tablet line.

While the fate of the Pixel Tablet line remains a mystery, we can at least look at what would’ve been the next entry in the series. Thanks to a source inside Google, Android Authority has viewed documents that highlight some of the upgrades that would’ve come to the 2025 Pixel Tablet.

Fundamental upgrades

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

As expected, the Pixel Tablet 2 (codename “kiyomi”) would’ve come with the Google Tensor G4 — the last Pixel SoC designed in collaboration with Samsung before the Pixel 10 launches with a fully in-house Tensor G5, manufactured on a TSMC process node.

Similar to the Pixel 9a, the chip used is a slightly different IPoP variant. While the silicon die inside is identical, the plastic package differs. While the regular G4 uses FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging), the Pixel Tablet 2’s G4 would’ve used IPoP (Integrated Package on Package). According to Samsung, IPoP is thicker and hotter than FOPLP, but it is also cheaper, which explains the decision. In practice, the differences aren’t huge, and the chip would’ve still been a huge upgrade over the Tensor G2, which was used in the original Pixel Tablet.

The largest upgrade that would’ve come to the canceled Pixel Tablet 2 was a 5G modem. While its predecessor lacked any kind of cellular connectivity, Google planned to give the device a variant that supported 5G, using the same Exynos Modem 5400 as the Pixel 9 series. Unlike phones using this modem, however, the tablet doesn’t have satellite connectivity, so if you get stuck somewhere in a remote place with nothing but this canceled tablet, you’re out of luck.

The addition of a modem also means the tablet would’ve supported GPS — the 5G variant, that is, as the Wi-Fi model would’ve still lacked this basic feature.

Speaking of wireless connectivity, the Pixel Tablet 2 would’ve supported Thread, a network protocol for IoT devices. It’s important to note, however, that the Pixel 9 series also has a Thread radio but doesn’t actually currently use it in any way. With that in mind, it would make sense for a device doubling as a stay-at-home smart display to support a standard like this, so it’s possible Google would finally implement support for it by the tablet’s release.

Small improvements across the board

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

One of the areas where the original Pixel Tablet definitely lacked was the display. The device packed a 10.95-inch 2,560 x 1,600 LCD panel, running at a rather slow 60Hz. While the lack of an OLED panel was excusable — LCDs are better for smart displays because they’re less likely to suffer burn-in — the lack of a higher refresh rate wasn’t.

The Pixel Tablet 2 would’ve amended this — while the new panel is still LCD, it supports 120 Hz. The size and resolution both remained unchanged, but the brightness was bumped up to 550 nits from 500 nits on its predecessor.

Google also planned to bring small upgrades to the cameras on the device — the selfie sensor was changed to a Samsung S5K3K1 (1/3.94″ 10MP) from a Sony IMX355 (1/4″ 8MP). The rear camera was due a larger upgrade by switching to a Samsung S5K3J1 (1/3″ 11MP) with autofocus, while the original Pixel Tablet had a fixed-focus Sony IMX355 (1/4″ 8MP). While neither of these sensors are great, they are still better than what was offered before and would be more than enough for snapping basic pics and video calls.

Weirdly, the device was not planned to have face unlock, despite having exactly the same selfie camera as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

The Pixel Tablet 2 planned to include display, camera, processor, and accessory improvements.

The last upgrade Google was going to bring to the tablet was support for DisplayPort output up to 4K, which would’ve brought the device in line with the Pixel phones. It’s worth mentioning that Google specifically designed the Tensor G6 to support up to four external displays for the 2027 Pixel Tablet, so adding at least basic support before that seems like a logical step in between.

Google was also working on some more first-party accessories for the new tablet, including a dedicated keyboard and stylus. We don’t know what exactly will happen to those now that the device they were designed for is canceled. In theory, Google could still launch them as accessories for the original Pixel Tablet, as they both use connectivity options present in that device.

Kiyomi would’ve only been a small step forward — but that’s all Google needs

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

The canceled Pixel Tablet 2 was nothing revolutionary; just look at the table and compare its specs with the original, but that’s all Google needs. The Pixel Tablet is a really nice tablet built around a brilliant idea, and a successor that simply fixed its biggest annoyances would make it an easy recommendation.

It’s disappointing to see Google cancel such a promising device. Hopefully, it’s simply a change of strategy and not a sign that Google has decided to kill its tablet line — again. The planned Pixel Table 3 still seems to be kicking about, at least for now.