There's a Stylus Gaining Attention Despite the Cancellation of its Intended Pixel Tablet.
I get why digging into the past can be intriguing, searching for hidden clues, but what's the point if it only leaves you pining for what you can't have? (Maybe it's time, Flo, to quit peeking into those old Google Pixel Tablet archive journals.) We all know that we're not going to get the Google Pixel Tablet 2 again, despite the generally favorable feedback the first version received following its rocky debut in 2023. It just feels wrong to keep beating a deceased horse about something that won't be revived, at least not for quite some time.
Why are we even talking about the Google Pixel Tablet pen that never actually existed, and seemingly never will? It's a tormenting, meaningless debate. Android Authority posted what they claim is an image of the magic wand intended to unlock the Pixel Tablet 2's potential. The pen was codenamed "bushukan," sharing a name with the Buddha's hand citrus fruit. The pen, known by model "GM0KF," would have been available in two colors—white and gray—presumably to match the Pixel Tablet 2's colorways. You can find everything ever written about this unreleased pen if you search for "GM0KF" and "pixel stylus" in the blogosphere.
The pen would have had two colors, white and gray, to go with the Pixel Tablet 2's planned colorways. It sported a button on its top that launched a note-taking app. Below, you can find an embedded image from Android Authority, showcasing the pen's standard behavior. The pen would have magnetically attached to an official keyboard accessory, which unfortunately will never again see the light of day. The stylus even had Find My Device integration to help you locate it within your couch cushions or other lost-stylus hiding spots.
© Android Authority
Despite Google having plans to release a second-generation Pixel Tablet this year, they abruptly canceled it a few weeks prior. We had renders and even a keyboard folio available throughout the year, something missing from the initial Pixel Tablet due to its positioning as a mobile smart home device, unlike the OnePlus Pad, which was also released around the same time.
It's doubtful the pen would appear separately from a new tablet device. Unfortunately, this is unfortunate because the last time Google experimented with a pen, it showed promise. Remember the Pixelbook? I have one right here, close by, for whenever I want to relive its flippable clamshell design and imagine what could have been. I even have the stylus that came with the Chromebook, and it was quite functional. The button on the stylus resting under your thumb could launch additional functions. The stylus, coupled with the Chromebook, was a solid duo. It was great for taking notes at conferences throughout the Chromebook's lifetime. But it seems Google is shifting their focus away from productivity gadgets, favoring instead the connected home. The Pixel Tablet 2 was likely put on hold to concentrate on a different big-screen project within a personal sphere.
The focus on tech innovation in the future seems to have diverted Google away from the Pixel Tablet 2 and its pen. We can only speculate about what advanced features the GM0KF stylus with Find My Device integration could have brought to a future device.
The cancellation of the Pixel Tablet 2 and its stylus might signal a shift in Google's tech strategy, leaving the potential for a seamless stylus experience on tech devices like the OnePlus Pad for the near future.