For the longest time, Apple has held relatively strong control over the tablet market. It's come to the point where the word tablet is now synonymous with iPad and over the years, when someone sees a tablet they're more likely to assume it's an iPad than it being an Android one.
You can't blame people for preferring them either, Apple has had a consistent, strong, and very appeasing range of tablets for a variety of prices to attract customers of different income tiers, to make the deal even sweeter, Apple gives all the tablets a long and healthy life. The device requirements of iPad OS 15 (the latest iPad OS at the time of writing this) support the iPad Air 2 (2014) and the iPad Mini 4 (2015).
In addition, Apple's devices work great as long as the battery is healthy, but older devices will show their age with newer iPad OS releases, however, none will be ready for the pasture just yet.
Admittedly, the tablet market for Android has been VERY passive over the last few years. The last Google tablets to come out were the Pixel Slate (2018) and the Pixel C (2015). Admittedly, Samsung has been doing a better job keeping the Android tablet market alive with their attractive Galaxy A and S series tablets, but due to competitive prices, most people will prefer to buy a Samsung phone over a tablet any day and for the latter, pursue an iPad instead. With Google having ignored the Android tablet segment in its entirety since 2018, it's easy to blame the search giant for the poor software experience on Android tablets, and rightly so.
However, we now believe that 2022 is going to be the year that Google finally gives the Android tablet market the software (Android 12L) it needs to go against the big leagues. Here are our 4 reasons why we believe in Google's vision, and 1 reason why we believe it might fall.
1. The ability to side-load Apps
One of the biggest perks of the Android ecosystem is the ability to install any app you want, even if it's not on the Google Play Store. This means if you're an amateur developer, you can easily side-load your own apps and perfect your craft before you jump into being a professional developer.
In addition, a plethora of useful apps that are not on the Google Play Store, but only by APK can also be installed without much trouble. This includes some major titles such as Fortnite (we will come back to this later in the list).
The feature is severely lacking in Apple devices unless you're a developer or have a jailbroken device. Both of which are convoluted processes that may or may not require some expertise, but side-loading an APK does not require any special permission from Google. All the tools you need are readily available in your phone!
2. Android 12L – The BIG one
Android 12L was recently released for the Pixel series, and while the features on it are bottlenecked by the devices, the true potential of Android's latest OS will be best experienced when it comes to the tablets later this year.
Android 12L is an update curated to big screen devices. It offers convenience and usability for people using foldable phones and tablets, making the device easier and more intuitive to use than ever before. With a plethora of new features such as drag and drop split-screen, and dedicated dock for your favorite apps similar to the start menu on Windows, and a brand new design philosophy made for tablets, 12L is truly something Android tablet owners can look forward to, and hopefully, we'll also see current tablets updated to the new software. Basically, someone at Google finally remembered that OEMs were still making Android tablets and that there was a ton of work still to be done to bring a modern software experience to the form factor, at least in the Android tablet segment.
3. Gaming with less steps
It's no secret that Apple's A and M chips are leagues better than what Android devices could ever offer. However, there are times when the hardware can't match the software.
Fortnite on iOS is a name many will remember, with the ongoing lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games, it could be another few months, or even longer before we see one of the biggest titles in the gaming world not available on iOS or iPad OS devices. Fortnite is playable on a large number of Android devices due to it having a dedicated APK, and the launcher will also update the app for you. Yes, the app has been removed from the Google Play Store for a long while as well, but that has not deterred fans from enjoying it on Android.
In addition, accessing Xbox Cloud Gaming can be done directly with the Xbox Game Pass app, where iOS and iPad OS users have to use the bookmark shortcut route, which is essentially running Xbox Cloud Gaming off a browser tab.
4. Communication knows (almost) no bounds
If you can think about the app, it can run on an Android tablet. While Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and many other social media apps can't be easily installed on iPad OS, all you need to install these apps is the right APK file.
With virtually no limit to what apps you can or can not install, depending on their availability in the Google Play Store, or without it, the sky's the limit! You can even make WhatsApp work on non-cellular Android tablets if you can deal with a tricky setup process. You can even install Google's Messages app on your tablet and use RCS. If your phone is ever out of reach you can always use your smartphone apps on your tablet (with some exceptions) seamlessly.
With all the pros, it's time we dive into the one reason why Android tablets still have a long way to go.
5. The lack of variety in accessories and peripherals
Whether you're talking about cases, a keyboard dock, or even something similar to an Apple Pencil, the first-party peripherals for Android tablets are rare. Yes, Samsung will have you covered and will charge almost as much as Apple at times, but there are multiple options when it comes to Android tablets such as Realme, Lenovo, and even Amazon. With tablets from the likes of OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo, and more expected sometime during 2022, the list of possible Android tablet devices for accessory makers to support is only going to increase which means that it will be even more difficult for Android tablet users to find an accessory from their favorite brands.
Apple has plenty of first-party and third-party partners when it comes to accessories and peripherals for their devices. It's come to the point where there is a Made for iPhone (MFI) logo on the box of these products. You can buy them from any part of the world and count on them to work as long as it is genuine, but it's much harder to buy a replacement stylus for your Galaxy Tab S8 Stylus, than an Apple Pencil 2, especially with the passage of time.
Unfortunately, with the larger market share of Apple tablets owned by consumers, manufacturers will give priority to making more peripherals and accessories for iPads than they will for making curated peripherals or accessories for individual tablets in the market.
If you've bought an Android tablet rather than an iPad, let us know why you chose to do so in the comments below.
Why does TalkAndroid keep going on about a company Android users aren’t interested in the first place? Just get on with the facts about Android Tablets and actually discuss the current Available Android Tablets that we are interested in owning!