Google has removed the tablet section from the Android website, prompting speculation it has finally given up on the format.
Android Police spotted the tab has disappeared from the homepage, while attempting to navigate to the tablet page simply returns users to the Android homepage.
The page still existed as recently as yesterday, the site points out, but only featured a small selection of tablets from Nvidia, Samsung and Sony. Now it’s gone completely.
Related: Android P latest
The writing may have been on the wall when Google failed to list any tablets among the devices able to access the Android P developer beta, but this surely confirms that Google is done with slates.
Look! It’s gone!
Of course, with Android being open source, manufactures will still be able to create tablets running the latest version of Android. However, we can probably forget about any homegrown Android tablets coming to market any time soon.
This development could also be a sign that Google sees the future of tablets elsewhere. Could it be that the company is looking towards the Chrome OS, which has the ability to run Android apps from the Google Play Store?
Last week we saw the launch of a Chrome OS tablet from Acer designed for use in schools.
Is there still a place for tablets running the Android OS? Or would Google be wise to focus on the Chrome OS, which can run Android apps? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
