In tandem with launching the Pixel 8a, Google is now letting shoppers buy the Pixel Tablet without the Charging Speaker Dock. That drops the base price of the tablet from $499 to $399 for 128GB of storage. You can spend an extra $100 to upgrade to 256GB, which might be a good idea, since there’s no microSD slot to expand capacity.
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The Charging Speaker Dock holds a Pixel Tablet upright using magnets, and as its name implies, wirelessly charges the device while pumping audio through a larger external speaker. An additional feature, however, is Hub Mode, which makes the Tablet behave more like aNest Hub. That includes photo frame options, Google Cast support, and a smart home control panel. Since you’re using an upgraded speaker system, the mode is also preferable for Google Assistant commands. Note that without the Dock, Hub Mode can’t trigger automatically – and you’re limited to USB-C charging.
Google Pixel Tablet without Charging Speaker Dock
What’s Google’s thinking behind the change?
Specs are otherwise unchanged. Beyond its storage you get a 10.95-inch, 2560x1600 LCD panel, 8GB of RAM, and a 27Wh battery good for up to 12 hours of video streaming. Powering the product is Google’s Tensor G2 processor, a step below the G3 found in the Pixel 8, 8a, and 8 Pro. As such it doesn’t (yet) have access toGemini, the company’s generative AI tech. Support is rumored down the road, though people may still have to use Google Assistant in Hub Mode. That tracks, since Gemini isn’t yet equipped to handle the same smart home options as Assistant, and isn’t present at all on current Nest Hubs. It’s likely that Google will need to refresh its Nest hardware with much faster chips, and that too is rumored based on hidden product code in theGoogle Home app. It’s not clear when those devices will ship, although some possibilities include Google I/O on May 14 or the company’s fall launch window.
On a simple level, this gives shoppers a “budget” version of the Pixel Tablet to match the Pixel 8a, which could hypothetically spur companion sales. Not everyone cares about wireless charging and audio, and some buyers may feel the same about Hub Mode if they don’t have a Google-based smart home setup with lights and other accessories.
A stronger possibility is that the company is looking to spur overall sales. The product has met with mixed reviews, so while a number of people have enjoyed it, many may have found its original pricetag hard to swallow for the specs on hand. Google’s chief competition is Samsung, which offers a wide range ofAndroid tabletswith competitive specs and prices, among them theGalaxy Tab S9 FE. The FE in particular can be had for as little as $340 on sale, and officially retails for around $450 if you want a 10.9-inch, 128GB unit.
