Déjà vu: Google is reportedly killing the Pixel Tablet 3, ending tablet efforts once more

Google has reportedly canceled the development of the Pixel Tablet 3 and is exiting the tablet business once again. According to an exclusive report from Android Headlines, the device, which is internally known as “Kiyomi,” will not be moving forward.

Citing sources close to the project, the publication reports that Google has chosen to abandon the Pixel Tablet 3 to focus on other more important projects. The personnel working on the device will also be reassigned to other initiatives within the company. That means the rumored Pixel Tablet 2 might be the last slate we ever see from Google.

If the report is accurate, this would be the second time around that Google has killed off its tablet endeavors. In 2019, the company announced its exit from the tablet business after halting production of two unreleased devices. Then, in 2023, Google re-entered the tablet arena with the Pixel Tablet. Its second iteration, the Pixel Tablet 2, is expected to launch in 2025 with a new camera and upgraded Tensor chipset.

What happened?

We previously reported that a Pixel Tablet 3 might be in development based on information from a leaked document from Google’s gChips division. At the time, we learned that Google planned to add a second USB-C port to its Tensor G6 chip specifically for tablet use. However, we also noted in our original report that the document containing this information may be outdated.

There are a few potential reasons why Google might be canceling the Pixel Tablet 3. One possibility is that the Pixel Tablet, despite its promising features and hybrid nature, may not have met sales expectations. The device also has several issues, including a chipset that gets super hot, a sluggish display, missing Nest Hub features, and more, which may have put users off from the idea of owning a Google-made tablet.

It’s possible Google is going in a different direction with its tablets to be more in line with its foldables. But, of course, knowing Google, it’s very much possible that the Pixel Tablet line is headed to the Google graveyard.  While the Pixel Tablet 2 is expected to continue the lineup, Google’s focus may be elsewhere, leaving us wondering if the company will ever fully commit to tablets in the long run.