We know that the OnePlus Pad is on the way, and will be getting its full unveiling in just a few days time. Now a newly leaked image gives us a better look at the Android tablet than we've had up until this point from official sources.
The picture comes from the regularly reliable Evan Blass (via GSMArena), and shows almost the entire back of the tablet, together with a lot of the front. The OnePlus logo and a large-ish camera bump are visible, together with the Halo Green coloring.
You can see that the leaked image matches the first official picture of the OnePlus Pad that was shown off in a TechRadar exclusive. This second image does give us a better look at the device as a whole though, from a more revealing angle.
Knowns and unknowns
There's still plenty we don't yet know about the OnePlus Pad of course, including how much it's going to cost and what's going to be on the inside (there have been rumors about internal specs, but nothing is official so far).
OnePlus has confirmed that the tablet is going to have an aluminum alloy body and a cambered frame, which makes us think that this will be a well-built device. There's also that Halo Green color, which may or may not be the only available shade.
All will be revealed at the OnePlus launch event on February 7, and we will of course be bringing you every announcement on the day. The date will also mark the international launch of the OnePlus 11 flagship smartphone.
Analysis: more Android tablets please
We've lost count of how many devices are in the Apple iPad line at any given point in the year, but as far as Android tablets go it's been slim pickings in recent years. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is definitely the exception rather than the rule.
One of the reasons for this is that many Android apps aren't particularly well optimized for larger screens. Considering there aren't that many tablets out there, this turns into a feedback loop – developers won't make the effort for a smaller number of users.
We have seen Android tablet success stories though, including the hugely popular Google Nexus 7 of many years ago, and the low-cost Amazon Fire tablet series, including the recent Amazon Fire HD 8. Android tablets can work, if they're priced right.
With the OnePlus Pad and the upcoming Pixel Tablet from Google, we're hoping that Android tablets can once again have a moment. There's no reason these devices can't match the iPads for work and content consumption.
