After I wrote a comparable piece to this one final 12 months, there was a bit extra pleasure within the air. Google had simply launched its Chromebook Plus moniker, which has seemingly confirmed to be a hit. However as I mirror on the months previous, that sense of pleasure has became a little bit of unease.
I’ve the same feeling relating to Android tablets however to a lesser extent. With a number of exceptions, probably not a lot has modified when wanting on the general panorama. Samsung continues to be on the high however has seemingly shifted its focus to extra budget-friendly options. In the meantime, different tablets had been launched which are making an attempt to make a dent in an more and more stagnant market.
None of that is to say that there is nothing to be enthusiastic about, however seeing how all the pieces performed out, my expectations have undoubtedly shifted. Even nonetheless, there are some things that I might like to see out of each Chromebooks and tablets as we get able to kick off the brand new 12 months.
Extra storage please
The logical a part of my mind understands that not very many individuals really care about having totally different storage choices in Chromebooks. More often than not, you will be utilizing this whereas related to the web anyway, so you’ll be able to simply depend on Google Drive or one other cloud storage answer to retailer information.
However once I have a look at a tool just like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus and see that it solely has 128GB of non-upgradeable storage, I am a bit disenchanted. Samsung tries to offset storage issues by together with a microSD card slot, however this is not the case with each Chromebook.
Frankly, it is simply disappointing to see, and it is one thing that I hope is rectified in some capability. At this price, I’d simply be pleased to see a brand new Framework Laptop computer Chromebook, which supplies me all the flexibility I might need in a Chromebook.
Flagship ARM chips
As quickly as I heard about Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X collection of chips, I instantly thought of how nice it might be for Chromebooks. For one, there are a number of totally different processors throughout the collection designed to hit numerous budgets and value factors. On the identical time, providing a steadiness of efficiency and battery life that we nonetheless lengthy for with Chromebooks.
For sure, I used to be a bit disenchanted to not see a single Snapdragon X-powered Chromebook introduced earlier than the top of the 12 months. I hoped that we might have no less than seen one, even when it was only a teaser forward of CES 2025. Sadly, that hasn’t come to fruition, and I’ve all however given up on the concept of a Chromebook powered by Google’s Tensor chip.
Smaller flagship tablets
Even when I did not write about tablets as a part of my job, I might nonetheless use them all the time. It is a part of why foldable telephones are so necessary to me since they’re principally mini tablets that may be folded in half and caught in a pocket. Gone are the times of needing JNCO denims everytime you’re heading out and need to convey a pill with you.
So once I say that I hope to see extra “smaller” flagship tablets, I am not even speaking concerning the OnePlus Pad 2 or RedMagic Nova. I imply even smaller, one thing across the dimension of the Nexus 7, if not a bit bit bigger. OnePlus and RedMagic are filling the void left by Samsung’s determination to forgo the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S10. Exterior of that, if you need a compact flagship pill, your finest guess is to import one thing just like the Lenovo Legion Y700.
Think about having a pill which you could comfortably maintain in a single hand and use for all the pieces and something. Sure, Amazon’s Hearth Tablets nonetheless exist, however these are low-cost and lack the efficiency that I am in search of. What I might actually like to see is Google launch a contemporary model of the Nexus 7, however everyone knows that will not occur.
Google ought to change its thoughts
I suppose it is solely proper for me to complete this piece by pleading with Google once more. I really feel prefer it’s turning right into a little bit of a behavior, as I’ve pleaded and begged for Google to reverse rumored choices, just for them to fall on deaf ears. However I digress.
The very first thing that I need Google to alter its thoughts about is exiting the pill market. After all, these are simply rumors, and nothing has been confirmed, however all the indicators level to the Pixel Pill being a “one-and-done” system. And admittedly, that is simply downright disappointing.
Even in its present state, the Pixel Pill is fairly nice so long as you perceive the constraints up entrance. For me, the Pill and Charging Dock have been a staple on my desk, giving me one of the best sensible house controller that I’ve ever used. No, I am not right here to make that argument once more.
All I am saying is that I need to see Google keep on with the pill, no less than for an additional iteration or two. How can an organization anticipate gross sales to be nice when it takes an odd method to the discharge? All the things was (principally) tremendous when you would solely get the Pixel Pill with the Charging Speaker Dock. However then, Google modified course and made it so you would purchase the Pixel Pill by itself. Oh, and that occurred a 12 months after the unique launch.
It additionally would not assist that the Pixel Pill makes use of an LCD panel with a 60Hz refresh price and a processor that may’t take full benefit of the brand new Gemini options that Google is so centered on. If something, there’s a chance to offer the Pixel Pill a “glow-up” in the identical method that we noticed going from the Pixel Fold to the Pixel 9 Professional Fold.
What concerning the supposed Pixel Laptop computer?
There’s one looming query surrounding each Chromebooks and tablets, and that is whether or not Google is definitely planning to launch a laptop computer powered by Android. I am not sensible sufficient to understand how this is able to have an effect on the market, however it might undoubtedly come as fairly a shock.
Whereas some might imagine that Google is trying to exchange ChromeOS with Android, I am of the mindset that such a transfer could be a foul concept. There’s an excessive amount of cash concerned with Chromebooks and the training phase that I do not suppose Google would need to jeopardize that.
That being mentioned, I’m interested in how a possible Pixel Laptop computer could be offered if it really sees a launch. If I am placing on my tinfoil hat, this may very well be the rationale why Google is rumored to have canned future Pixel Tablets. Nevertheless, I do not imagine {that a} conventional laptop computer powered by Android could be logical.
Though I really feel as if the preliminary rumors had been simply seeded so Google might flush out some unhealthy apples, my mind retains telling me that it is attainable. Once more, not the entire Android changing ChromeOS, however the concept of a possible Android laptop computer.
I am nonetheless not even satisfied that it is a “the place there’s smoke, there’s hearth” scenario. However Google is working in direction of one thing totally different, as evidenced by continued enhancements being made to the native Desktop Mode, together with the stunning addition of a Linux terminal app with Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2.
Are we in retailer for a serious shake up in 2025?
Oh, how nice it might be to look right into a crystal ball and see what issues will seem like this time subsequent 12 months. Truly, that might type of suck, no less than relying on how issues shake out.
In addition to that, I am actually not anticipating many drastic or earth-shattering modifications to come back to both Chromebooks or Android tablets. Even when the rumors the Pixel Laptop computer are true, I think that it will not see the sunshine of day till someday in 2026. This provides Google loads of time to enhance Android’s native Desktop Mode, and implement every other options it’d need to embrace.
As an alternative, we’ll most likely see the identical firms launch incremental “upgrades” whereas Google continues to seek out new methods to entice everybody to make use of Gemini. We anticipate to see the “Fast Insert” key make its method onto extra Chromebooks, making it so you do not have to manually remap a key, or attempt to keep in mind the keyboard mixture.
On the identical time, I would not be shocked if we began to see Google introduce a devoted Gemini key for each Chromebooks and tablets. Lots of the newest Home windows laptops are geared up with a Copilot key, and I think Google will comply with go well with.
Gemini is constant to enhance, as evidenced by the swath of updates Google rolled out on the finish of 2024. But when Google needs to maintain up with ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, it wants extra methods to get folks utilizing Gemini. The addition of a devoted key would go a great distance in making an attempt to do exactly that, even when it’d find yourself as a controversial determination.
Who is aware of — I have been fallacious earlier than, and I hope I am fallacious once more.
