beyond the alphabet
Beyond the Alphabet is a weekly column focused on the world of technology in and around Mountain View.
It’s been a little later than expected, but Android 15 is finally here and brings a ton of new features. While many of these are primarily aimed at smartphones, the Pixel Tablet has a major upgrade that will make you laugh.
Shortly after the Pixel Tablet debuted, I couldn’t resist writing about how it was essentially a Nest Hub replacement. Google keeps hinting otherwise, but I can’t help but feel like Google is playing a little peek-a-boo now.
When docked, the Pixel Tablet already looks like an improved version of the Nest Hub Max. Hub mode adds familiar features like turning it into a digital photo frame. Google has already implemented the ability to display device controls when in hub mode, and with Android 15 you can enjoy a new “Home Controls” screensaver.
As you might have guessed, this brings all your favorite shortcuts from the Home app to your lock screen. And the best part, at least for me, is that I don’t have to fiddle with anything to make these controls appear. Now you can unlock your front door, turn your lights on and off, and adjust your thermostat even faster.
Not only that, but if you took the time to set up Home Assistant, you can trust it over the Google Home app. It takes a little setup, but once you’re set up, the Home Assistant dashboard will appear when your Pixel Tablet’s screen saver is activated.
Oh, there’s one more thing. The Home Control screen saver isn’t limited to Pixel Tablets, it’s also available on Pixel 9 Pro Fold. I noticed this when I tossed the 9 Pro Fold onto the MagSafe stand before going to bed. This was a bit of a surprise, as I initially thought Google would make it tablet-only. Thankfully, that’s not the case.
It feels like Google is messing with us right now. There was no announcement of the Pixel Tablet 2, and we didn’t see any updates to the Nest lineup beyond the thermostat and TV Streamer.
Given the huge push to bring Gemini into everything, you have to imagine that Nest’s smart displays and speakers will be next. Not only has it not been updated or refreshed in years, but you can’t pair Google’s new TV Streamer with Nest Audio, which is definitely a missed opportunity.
Unless otherwise.
Sure, you can argue about things like backwards compatibility, but it’s clear that Google is taking very precise and calculated steps. With all the changes and additions being made to the overall lineup, we’re never quite sure what the end goal is.
As explained to Android Central’s Editor-in-Chief Shruti Shekar, it was really strange to see Google announce so many products, leaving only the Nest Hub and Audio behind. Arguably, these devices are as important as a TV Streamer or a Nest Thermostat when it comes to building a smart home.
Maybe Google is just trying to bake Gemini a little longer before announcing new smart speakers and displays.
One theory I have is that Google wanted to wait until the Pixel 9 series was released. This will put Gemini in the hands of even more people and operate it as a kind of public beta without being called as such. By doing so, we provide Google with the necessary data and feedback that it can use to improve Gemini, ensuring that it works as well as, and hopefully better than, Google Assistant.
This year is quickly coming to a close, and it’s been an incredibly wild year that saw on-device AI capabilities improve significantly while Bard (thankfully) was rebranded to Gemini. . Android 15 is finally here and perhaps now Now is the time for Google to lift the veil on what’s coming with either the Pixel Tablet 2 or the next lineup of Nest displays and speakers.
Not just a tablet
Pixel tablets offer so much more than just enjoying movies, videos, and games. Android 15 adds even more cool and useful features.
