Go ahead and mark me down as not surprised on this one. While I’ve been pretty vocal about wanting a Pixel-branded folding device, the fact that nothing was mentioned about the so-called Pixel Notepad at Google I/O 2022 amidst a wave of new hardware told me all I needed to know. If Google was ready to tease a tablet that won’t be out until 2023 and flat-out show us the upcoming Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, I don’t think they’d be holding back on the Pixel Notepad if it was even close to ready.
According to a report from The Elec (via 9to5 Google), The Pixel Notepad has hit a second wave of delays, but not because the pieces aren’t available to build it. Instead, The Elec says people familiar with the matter tell them that “the postponement likely comes down to the product not being as complete as Google wishes.”
We know from previous reports that the Pixel Notepad was to use a Samsung-made display and Samsung’s foldable glass technology we see in the Galaxy Fold series. Though it shares some of those hardware parts with Samsung’s foldable, the Pixel Notepad was allegedly going for a smaller outside form factor with a more-landscape screen on the interior when unfolded.
The whole thing is a bit of a bummer, especially for those devoted Pixel fans that were excited for a new form factor to try out. However, if Google saw the Notepad’s progression and weren’t happy with it, I’d have to admit I’m glad they are postponing as opposed to shipping a half-baked piece of hardware. Foldable devices are tricky and Google has a propensity for beta testing launch-ready products on its users. For the Pixel Notepad, perhaps a regroup will help Google avoid that familiar circumstance.
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