Latest news with #PixelTabletPen
Phone Arena
2 days ago
- Phone Arena
Pixel Tablet owners can finally get Google's unreleased stylus
The Pixel Tablet launched in 2023 without the robust accessory lineup many other tablets enjoy. While leaks suggested Google was preparing a first-party stylus called the Pixel Tablet Pen, the product never made it to an official release. Now, in an unexpected twist, the unreleased accessory is showing up for sale through various online sellers, including Amazon. Rumors of the Pixel Tablet Pen first surfaced late last year, when an accessory labeled "Pen for Pixel Tablet" appeared in certification listings. The device carried the model number GM0KF and featured a minimalist off-white and gray design with a physical button. It was expected to support the USI 2.0 standard, which the Pixel Tablet has offered from launch. Despite evidence of development, Google never released the stylus. Recently, however, listings for the Pixel Tablet Pen began appearing on the Chinese marketplace Goofish, complete with Google-branded packaging confirming the ' Pixel Tablet Pen' name. From there, the stylus made its way to other platforms, with multiple Amazon sellers now offering it under generic USI 2.0 descriptions but bearing Google's model number, logo, and a "Designed for Google" badge. One of these listings was recently spotted and purchased for about $25, which is a competitive price for a USI 2.0 stylus — especially one seemingly built as a first-party Google accessory. Considering most official tablet pens from major brands cost significantly more, this pricing is notable. In testing, the stylus reportedly performed as expected. It charges via USB-C, includes a status light, and works immediately with the Pixel Tablet once powered. Input was smooth and responsive, and the tablet's software recognized hover actions without issue. The button, while functional in hardware, does not appear to trigger any commands, leaving it as more of a tactile feature than a useful control. The presence of so many units raises questions. It's not uncommon for unreleased Google products to leak in small quantities, but widespread availability through mainstream retailers is unusual. From a market perspective, the Pixel Tablet Pen could have positioned Google more competitively against devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, which has a stylus included, or Apple's iPads, where the Apple Pencil is a key accessory. Without it, the Pixel Tablet launched at a disadvantage for creative and productivity users who value pen input.
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
You can apparently buy Google's official Pixel Tablet stylus that never launched
TL;DR Last year, Google canceled its plans for the Pixel Tablet 2, leaving the fate of the company's Pixel stylus unclear. This summer, that stylus has started popping up at online retailers, now branded as the Pixel Tablet Pen. The pen works fine with the existing Pixel Tablet, but not all its features appear fully implemented. Google's approach right now towards Android on screens larger than our phones is confusing, to put it mildly. On one hand, we've got Android's increasingly impressive Desktop Mode, and word that Android will essentially be taking over for Chrome OS. But then we're also looking at this in the context of Google's own hardware, and the canceled Pixel Tablet 2 doesn't exactly scream commitment to this form factor. As we wait to see how Google's efforts here evolve, we're thinking once again about the Pixel Tablet 2, upon the discovery of an accessory that seems like it shouldn't exist. Alongside the Pixel Tablet 2 itself, last year we reported that Google was also working on its own stylus, the descriptively named Pen for Google Pixel Tablet. While the hardware didn't sound particularly impressive, looking like any generic USI 2.0 pen, it was still interesting to see Google itself developing this accessory. But with the cancellation of the Pixel Tablet 2, we had no idea what fate would hold in store for this project. Well, speak of the devil, because the Pixel Tablet Pen is apparently out. A little earlier this summer, Computerworld got its hands on one, featuring a 'Designed by Google' message down the side and sporting model number GM0KF — exactly the same number we heard from our Google source last year. The team at 9to5Google managed to track down the stylus for sale, finding listings on Chinese marketplaces like Goofish as well as from Amazon resellers. The stylus the site ordered through Amazon sure appears to match our expectations, including the button on top — which turned out to be adorned with a little Google logo. Sadly, that button doesn't actually do anything right now, and the sort of app-quick-launch functionality we reported on earlier has not been implemented. But that hiccup aside, the pen works just as a USI 2.0 stylus should, and even attaches to the Pixel Tablet via magnets for convenient storage. It's incredibly unclear how this Pixel Tablet Pen made it from Google's design labs to these online retailers, and equally opaque for what the product's future looks like. Are these just the leftovers from a now-canceled production run? Has a manufacturing partner been taking a little too much initiative? We really can't say without just wildly speculating, but we will make one safe bet: Anyone who has one of these right now is a member of a pretty exclusive club. Follow
