Google is rumored to be working on the Pixel Tablet 2 – and this time there's a keyboard

Google Pixel Tablet at Google I/O
The original Pixel Tablet, on its stand (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

  • We've got more rumored details on the Pixel Tablet 2
  • A keyboard accessory is planned this time
  • Upgrades to the chipset and camera are also expected

The original Google Pixel Tablet was announced in May 2022 and went on sale in June 2023, so you could argue a successor is now overdue – and we've now got a new rumor about what's coming with the Google Pixel Tablet 2.

According to an insider source speaking to Android Authority, Google is indeed working on a successor to the first Pixel Tablet. However, the slate is still believed to be "many months" away from being announced.

When it does arrive, it could well come with a keyboard cover. Although it wasn't mentioned in our Google Pixel Tablet review, the lack of an official keyboard accessory made the device a little less useful than it might otherwise have been.

The second-generation model is being prototyped with a keyboard cover, the Google source says, with pogo pins used to attach the cover to the tablet. It also doubles up as a stand to keep the tablet standing up, as we've seen with many other tablets.

Cameras and chipsets

Google Pixel Tablet at Google I/O

The first Pixel Tablet was shown off with the option of a stand or a dock (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

It sounds as though the keyboard won't be the only change. The tablet is also being tipped to come with a newer camera, improving on the 8MP snapper in the 2023 model – though there are no details on the spec of the updated camera.

We can also look forward to an improved chipset inside the tablet too, which isn't a surprise. The original slate has a Tensor G2 fitted inside, and the updated model may feature the Tensor G4 (like the Pixel 9 series) or the as-yet-announced Tensor G5.

Apparently, the Pixel Tablet 3 is also in the pipeline and penciled in for a 2027 launch, so a 2025 appearance for the Pixel Tablet 2 would make most sense. A two-year refresh cycle is about right for an Android tablet like this.

As far as the design goes, it sounds as though there will only be a few tweaks in this department, so the Pixel Tablet 2 will look a lot like the first Pixel Tablet. No doubt we'll hear more in the way of leaks and rumors in the coming months.

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David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.