iPad and tablet in crisis? How to redesign the “tablet” to be really smart
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It could be an opportunity to rethink the tablet. The wave of generative artificial intelligence that is engulfing universities, businesses and citizens could be an excuse to redesign one of the devices that has been most affected by the crisis, and not just because of the pandemic. According to the latest IDC (International Data Corporation) report, global sales have essentially returned to the “pre-pandemic levels” of the market in the first quarter of 2023 (30.7 million units) but continue to show a negative sign. This means that compared to a year ago they shipped almost 20% less.
Yet, on the supply side there is more trust. OnePlus, which was born to be the Lamborghini-pop of smartphones, has entered this market with a powerful product, very powerful and at an attractive price (499 euros). Actually on the hardware side for what’s inside it’s not a bad price at all. Moreover, the tablet also works well. Same goes for Google which presented their first tablet of the Pixel family last week. There is no date scheduled for Italy yet but in France we know that it will cost 679 euros. The most interesting aspect of the device is the proprietary chip designed for artificial intelligence. Pixel Tablet is in fact based on the second generation Tensor platform. However, it’s not a smart display. Like the rest of the others. In the sense that it is not yet an object designed to respond to the challenges of artificial intelligence. Inside you will find the Android apps. Like the rest inside the iPad you will find the App Store. But there is still no idea, for example, of managing the house also through the tablet. It is true that in this way it would put itself in direct competition with for example “intelligence screens” such as Google Nest but the idea of having a device that is not limited like a smartphone in terms of screen size that can also perform other tasks in addition to navigation could be an extra incentive to buy. In fact, the limit of tablets has always been that of being a middle ground. Too underpowered to be preferred over a laptop and at the same time too cumbersome to compete with mobile phones, especially now foldables are advancing. Ai could be a game changer. And it probably will be, the Pixel Tablet comes with a Charging Speaker Dock, a base to which the tablet magnetically attaches and which functions as a speaker, recharger and stand to be placed on a piece of furniture or on a desk.
One more idea, however, could also come from the “leaders” of the sector. The tablet market in the first quarter is controlled by Apple and Samsung at 31.8 and 21.8 percent respectively. With Koreans playing the lion’s share on the Android platform.
Surprises could come from the Cupertino house. The latest news is Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad, two highly anticipated programs by creatives and musicians. According to the usual well-informed Apple is preparing a substantial renewal for the iPad Pro next year both on the hardware side and on the design side. In fact, there are those who indicate the debut of an OLED display.
But the real game changer is productivity. The Pixel Tablet’s software doesn’t have much in the way of productivity features. Samsung, Apple, and even OnePlus are doing a lot more to make their tablets more conducive to work. From this point of view, the Surface Pro plays a significant role. We are talking about the first real attempt to build a bridge between the tablet and the laptop. And it is no coincidence that Microsoft did it. These are devices that offer the flexibility of a tablet and the performance of a laptop. Over time they have also gathered an audience – not large – of super-enthusiasts. The Surface Pro 9 is the latest born. It’s a little better than the Pro 8. Microsoft still believes in it but is still trying to combine powerful hardware and manageability. Finding the balance is not easy but today this two-in-one remains something unique on the market.
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