Google appears to be refocusing on Android tablets
Apple released the first iPad in 2011, and Google soon decided to follow suit, releasing its first Android tablet, the Nexus 10, in 2012. At the time, Google was convinced that in the future people would use more powerful tablets, which would unlock new ways of using them. After experiencing an early fiery, the development of Android tablets has been a bit high and low. After Google announced in 2019 that it was abandoning its tablet business and focusing on laptops, Android tablets hit rock bottom.
According to The Verge, Rich Miner, one of the founders of Android recently, has returned to Google’s Android tablet development team as CTO. Google confirmed to The Verge via email that Rich Miner’s specific responsibilities are “leading software development for Android for large screens” in the “Platforms and Ecosystems team.” Rich Miner’s role reversal seems to herald Google’s renewed focus on the Android tablet business, with the upcoming Android 12L also improving for larger-screen and foldable devices. Google is rumored to be working on its own foldable Pixel phone that basically unfolds into a small tablet, perhaps giving Google an opportunity to return to the tablet market in some way.
Although Apple’s iPad product line is selling well, it hasn’t completely dominated the tablet market. According to market research firm data from the third quarter of last year, Apple was the largest tablet seller with about 34 percent of the market. There is still a lot of market space for competitors such as Samsung (ranked second, with a market share of about 18%). In the future, Google is likely to just keep working with other device makers and not try to sell its own brand of tablets.
Although Apple’s iPad product line is selling well, it hasn’t completely dominated the tablet market. According to market research firm data from the third quarter of last year, Apple was the largest tablet seller with about 34 percent of the market. There is still a lot of market space for competitors such as Samsung (ranked second, with a market share of about 18%). In the future, Google is likely to just keep working with other device makers and not try to sell its own brand of tablets.
