It’s no secret that Google is trying to reduce its reliance on advertising by placing more pressure on hardware, including the Pixel phone and the earbuds and its Google Nest smart home gear. At the same time, however, there are a few areas in which the company has struggled to find an attraction: smartwatches and tablets. There are no first-party Wear OS devices, and Google’s most popular tablet was probably the decade-old Nexus 7.
The Pixel Watch and Pixel tablets, released at I / O 2022, seem to be on the right track, at least when combined with the general improvements to Android and Wear OS. But there is a difference between good and bad everywhere, so here are some things we think Google needs to succeed in the tablet and watch market.
Related: Pixel 6 and 6 Pro Buyer’s Guide
What Google needs for a successful tablet
Some of Google’s positive steps in I / O 2022 include new tablet-centric Android features, such as better multitasking and the ability to copy and paste from your phone to tablet. It plans to further optimize its own apps and encourage third parties to do the same, including Canvas, TickTock and Zoom. This is a software promise that has been missing for a long time. Heck, the announcement of the Pixel Tablet (a placeholder name) in a year shows a deep dedication to the tablet and should encourage additional developers to improve support.
Our opinion: With Android 12L, Google must lead by example
The elephant in the room, of course, is how Google’s product will stack up against the Apple iPad, the world’s most popular tablet. In order to capture a significant portion of the market, Google will have to toe-toe with Apple’s features and possibly surpass it. Google will immediately draw attention, for example, if it can offer more desktop-level apps and a better file system. IPad owners regularly grapple with the fact that, with few exceptions, their devices are losing power, making them feel like a media consuming machine rather than a laptop replacement. This is despite the fact that the iPad Pro has laptop-level processors and support for rats and trackpads.
In order to capture a significant portion of the market, Google will have to toe-toe with Apple’s features and possibly surpass it.
Competition means better matches (albeit not equal) to the huge number of apps optimized for the iPad – it is often agreed that an app will have both iPhone and iPad versions if the latter is understandable, despite the holdout like Instagram. Android works great at improving non-optimized apps, but anyone buying a Google tablet needs to know that if they want to do something, they have at least one useful app for that job, and especially a full-featured version of something. Accustomed elsewhere. IPad owners can access the relatively feature-full version of Adobe Photoshop, for example, where Android tablet owners are stuck looking for alternatives.
Google should be committed to providing quarterly feature drops and monthly security patches, just as it does with Pixel phones. It will ensure competitive features and (hopefully) a smooth experience. The second is that Android devices sometimes bog down to something, and people can’t stand it on a prestige tablet.
A pixel product needs to be a showcase of what can be done on the platform, including firing all cylinders.
Finally, the performance specs of the Pixel tablet will need to be comparable to the minimum mid-tier iPad Air, and the iPad Pro if Google expects to charge a “premium” price. There are already plenty of budget Android tablets on the market, so a Pixel product needs to demonstrate what is possible on a platform with all cylinder firing. It’ll also support the larger apps we’ve talked about – it’s normal to go to an Android tablet for pro work like photo or video editing.
See also: The best Android tablet
What Google needs to succeed in smartwatches
The Pixel Watch looks like it is finally going to offer all the Wear OS features that you want to justify buying a complete smartwatch instead of a fitness tracker. These include phone-free Google Maps navigation, a dedicated Google Home app for smart home control, and Google Assistant voice out of the command box. We also have a revived Google Wallet in it Although this will initially be limited to payments, we may eventually be able to carry an ID, vaccine card or even a car key on our wrist.
Google may stand to offer more form factor, though, whether they’re tied to a first-generation Pixel watch or not. Aesthetically appealing like a round screen, a square option would enable a more efficient interface. The Pixel Watch is also quite fragile for activities such as camping or weightlifting, so a tough product is probably in order – even Apple is rumored to be. Explore a harder version Apple Watch.
Like tablets, Google needs to promise regular Wear OS updates to stay competitive and ensure the smoothest possible experience.
We’re not sure how much battery life the Pixel Watch will have, but we do expect that it will one day go out of range. Aside from being inconvenient, especially on trips, when a clock almost dies at the end of the day, Google can’t expect us to take advantage of features like sleep tracking. This is something that Google Fitbit devices have already gotten right, so the idea is probably at least on the minds of engineers.
Related: I like smartwatches, but I can’t replace my GPS watch
Like tablets, Google needs to promise regular Wear OS updates to stay competitive and ensure the smoothest possible experience. Logically this is even more important with wearable items, since without the hassle of use, you can even take out your phone.
The health and fitness tracking of the Pixel Watch should be at least as extensive as that of the Apple Watch, if not better, at the point that the hardcore fitness types consider an Pixel Watch to be equally effective. This means the heart rate, blood oxygen and ECG function – and even extra metrics like skin temperature. Google promises “deep integration with Fitbit” and “world-class health and fitness”, so we know it makes this area a priority.
Google has also promised proprietary bands and multiple colors, but if it wants to see the Pixel Watch as a rival to the Apple Watch, it has to lean strictly on customization. Part of the appeal of Apple’s device is that you can consider it a fashion accessory, since there is a wide range of first- and third-party band options, and the company regularly produces one-off seasonal items. A Pixel product will be less attractive if it is a little longer than your phone’s extension.
If Google wants to see the Pixel Watch as a rival to the Apple Watch, it will have to lean strictly on customization.
One last kicker is to keep Google’s Pixel Watch at a reasonable price. As a flagship device, it won’t be cheap, but Google could fire a shot across the bow, lowering the Apple Watch Series 7 (and Series 8, probably) by a minimum of $ 399. This will boost unit sales, encourage more people to stay in the Android ecosystem, and possibly challenge rival Android watches like the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The classic is priced at $ 350, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pixel Watch go evenly. After all, Pixel phones are decently priced without compromising on features.
Read more: The Pixel Watch cannot be successful if Google uses the same 8 year old formula again
Do you think Google will become a big player in the tablet and smartwatch market?
11 votes
What are the possibilities of Google?
Personally, I’m pretty hopeful that Google will be able to meet most of these needs The company has its own considerable failures to learn from, not to mention successful third party examples that it can emulate, which we have already mentioned.
The company also has time. The Pixel Watch won’t be shipped until the fall and the Pixel tablet isn’t coming until 2023, so we can reasonably expect them to be refined before release.
In fact, if Google is really committed to hardware success, it needs to learn “adequately” first-generation products and adapt to second-generation ones. Pixel phones, if you will, don’t sway for the first time in 2016, but people now see the Pixel 6 as a competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy S lineup. Give Google a little time, and it can use its financial muscle to close the gaps
Continue reading: The best Google products you can buy
