Google has canceled forthcoming tablet products a company exec confirmed Thursday. The firm will focus on laptop products instead of trying to challenge the iPad.
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Unreleased Google Products Canceled
Business Insider reported that Google halted the production of two unreleased tablet products. Members of the team learned of the decision Wednesday. Following the report, the company’s Senior Vice President Devices & Services Rick Osterloh tweeted:
Hey, it’s true…Google’s HARDWARE team will be solely focused on building laptops moving forward, but make no mistake, Android & Chrome OS teams are 100% committed for the long-run on working with our partners on tablets for all segments of the market (consumer, enterprise, edu)
— Rick Osterloh (@rosterloh) 20 June 2019
In a follow-up tweet, Mr. Osterloh confirmed that Google will continue to support existing Slate tablets.
iPad Dominates
It is clear that the firm has decided it can no longer compete with iPad. Apple shipped 14.5 million iPad in Q4 2018 and had over a quarter of the worldwide tablet market.
Unfortunately for Apple, Google’s Chromebooks are beating iPads in the education market.
Among other features, Chromebooks are dirt cheap, interchangeable, cloud-locked devices that have real keyboards and are unappealing targets for theft.