Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Google retires Pixel C tablet, wants you to buy the Pixelbook instead

Trevor Mogg
By

Google Pixel C
Jeffrey Van Camp/Digital Trends
The Google Pixel C tablet failed to make an impact in a market dominated by Apple’s iPad — which goes some way to explaining why the company has quietly retired it.

That’s right, folks, the 10.2-inch Android tablet released by Google toward the end of 2015 is no more. It was removed from Google’s online store without any official announcement on Thursday, December 28, and leaves the company without any stand-alone tablet for the first time since 2012 when it launched the Nexus 7.

Related Videos

When asked why it was bringing the curtain down on the $600, Android-powered Google Pixel C, the company said it was normal to stop production of a device after several years, but promised to continue supporting it with updates.

Related

“As is common when a device has been out for a few years, we’re now retiring Pixel C and it is no longer available for sale,” the company said in a statement, adding, “We are committed to updating and supporting it, including the recent update to Android 8.0 so customers can continue to get the best out of their device.”

Pixel C reviews in the tech press were largely favorable when the tablet launched, though they didn’t come entirely without criticisms. We noted at the time how the powerful device, with a quad-core Nvidia Tegra X1 processor running the show, seemed too advanced for the Android OS, pointing out that, for example, you could operate only one app at a time while Apple’s iOS for iPad and tablet mode in Microsoft’s Windows 8 were already offering split-screen multitasking. The feature was added to the Pixel C with a subsequent update.

We also criticized the physical snap-on keyboard that shipped with the device for being poorly designed, and expensive at $150.

This week’s statement also snuck in a plug for what it suggested could be a replacement for the Pixel C, the recently launched Google Pixelbook, which the company claims “combines the best parts of a laptop and a tablet for those looking for a versatile device.”

The $1,000 2-in-1 has been described as Google’s best Chromebook to date. Our review also praised it for being “simple, fast, and versatile,” but pointed out that it also has “rough edges, bugs, and quirks.” Want to find out more? Then check out the full review.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
You aren’t ready for this Galaxy S23 vs. iPhone 14 Pro camera test
Deep purple iPhone 14 Pro and Cream Galaxy S23 crossed over

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 is here, and it's quickly become one of the best phones you can buy in 2023. For $800, you’re getting a small but mighty phone with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, long-lasting battery life, and a powerful triple lens camera system with a 50-megapixel main shooter.

But how does one of the best Android phones stack up against Apple’s smallest flagship, the iPhone 14 Pro? It has just as many cameras as the Galaxy S23, a powerful 48MP main camera, and costs $200 more than Samsung's handset.

Read more
Nothing Phone 2: news, release date and price rumors, and more
Nothing Phone 1 with Glyph lights active.

The Nothing Phone 1 made its debut in July 2022, and it had a reasonable amount of hype behind it due to the involvement of Carl Pei, a co-founder of OnePlus. It was a quirky phone due to the unique light show on the back that makes it stand out from the competition, but on the software front, it’s very similar to other Android phones out there. It received mixed reviews, though the consensus leaned more on the positive side.

This year, we’re expecting the Nothing Phone 2, as confirmed by Pei in January during MWC 2023. Here’s everything we know so far about the Nothing Phone 2!
Nothing Phone 2: design

Read more
6 things I want to see in the new iMac
Apple's 24-inch M1 iMac is an all-in-one solution.

Apple’s 24-inch iMac got a major redesign in spring 2021, but it’s been a long two years with no updates to speak of since then. Many of us are impatiently waiting to see what comes next.

Now, though, rumors are swirling that a new version is coming this year. That means there’s a lot to look forward to -- and a lot of potential pitfalls that Apple needs to avoid. With so many possibilities floating around, here’s what we want to see in the next 24-inch iMac.
A decent price

Read more