The tablet market has been relatively stable for some time, with no significant innovations since the debut of the first model, aside from improvements in processing power and variations in size and screens. But at Nest we gained valuable insights about the usage of interactive screens at home, because of our smart displays portfolio. We also discovered that about 70% of tablets never leave the home, which is counterintuitive considering they have always been categorized as a “portable device.” Inspired by what we had learned from our smart displays, we realized that we could enhance the utility of tablets during their idle times—which is essentially most of the time.

By combining these insights with Nest's natural inclination to improve daily home routines through technology, we developed the concept for the latest Pixel Tablet, launched in 2023. This sleek tablet doubles as a smart display when connected to our exclusive dock and as a great tablet when handheld.

In retrospect, the idea might seem almost too obvious, but I suppose that's what makes it a great solution. I led the UX for this device, coordinating the design efforts across the Nest, Android, and Assistant teams. The device turned out to be fantastic, and it remains one of my favorite projects, even after my tenure at Google.