Shortly after Google introduced the Nexus 5X and 6P, some of the people behind the new phones took part in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session to answer questions about the hardware. Now that the Pixel C is here, Google has taken part in an AMA for it.
Six members of Google’s Pixel team participated in the AMA, and while there were some tidbits that we already knew (like how the “C” in Pixel C stands for “Convertible”), there was some new information revealed, too. One of the most notable tidbits is that one Googler teased that Android N will include a lot of features that the Pixel C team wishes were available at launch, suggesting that it’ll make the Android tablet experience better. Split-screen app support is one feature that was specifically mentioned as coming.
Speaking of apps, the Pixel C team tackled the issue of tablet-friendly apps, which is often cited as an issue with the new Pixel tablet. The group is working with developers on “better and more awesome tablet apps,” but they also say that it’s “definitely a chicken-egg problem” in that there needs to be more quality tablets to spur development of quality apps.
The Googlers also touched on a few other features that aren’t available on the Pixel C. Double tap to wake was omitted because it “drained the battery faster by leaving part of the touch screen enabled.” If you use the keyboard with the Pixel C, you can wake the device by opening it. As for why there’s no active stylus included with the C, the team wanted to focus on the tablet’s keyboard. There are passive styli that work with the C if you want a stylus, though.
One feature that is coming to the Pixel C is “Ok Google” support. The Pixel C team says that it’s working on the always-on “Ok Google” hotword and that it’ll be enabled in a future update.
The team also confirmed that the Pixel C has an unlockable bootloader and can support alternate OSes, but that it does not support recovery via USB like Chromebooks. Finally, support for DisplayPort over USB Type C in in the works, but it’s unclear when we might see it released.
While the Pixel C hardware looks like the type of solid hardware that these Googlers say will spur development of great Android tablet apps, we’ll have to wait and see if that actually happens. The good news is that it sounds like Google is doing its part to make Android tablet software better by working on features like split-screen support. Perhaps if Google shows its support for Android tablet software by building features like split-screen into the OS, it’ll convince Android developers to show their support by building more tablet-friendly apps.
