Yesterday Android Headlines reported that Google had canceled its improvement of the Pixel Pill 3 — even earlier than saying a second-gen mannequin. Effectively, at present Android Authority is saying that it’s in actual fact the second-generation Pixel Pill that has been canned, which means that the gadget launched final yr will apparently be a one-off and that Google is bailing on the pill class for the second time in a little bit over 5 years. At greatest, we’re in for an extended pause till the subsequent one.
If true, the information would recommend that gross sales of the Pixel Pill have been so poor that Google has determined additional funding in a follow-up simply isn’t value it. As lately as final week, there have been rumors of latest options and a keyboard accent for the now-abandoned product.
It’s value noting the likelihood that Google’s Nest division may take over its large-screen product ambitions and deal with evolving gadgets just like the Nest Hub and Hub Max as a substitute of standalone tablets.
Helped in no half by its on-again, off-again technique, Google has at all times struggled to meaningfully break into the pill market and produce a contender able to rivaling Apple’s iPad in gross sales and mainstream success. It bought off to a promising begin ages in the past with the Nexus 7, however by no means actually put up a lot of a struggle after that — even when the {hardware} was good. Android badly lags iPadOS within the variety of third-party apps which are optimized for tablets, one other situation that has held again Google’s efforts.
The Verge has reached out to Google for remark and clarification on its pill plans.
