Google consolidates its efforts and pulls the plug on the Pixelbook

Chromebooks are in a weird spot right now. These devices often adopt a 2-in-1 laptop/tablet form factor, but come equipped with an OS that is inherently limited and more similar to Android than to something like Windows/MacOS. 

In fact, chromebooks are so strange that even Google itself, once a main driving force in the market segment, is bailing out. According to the Verge, the next Pixelbook has been officially canceled, and the team behind it - disbanded. The official reason behind the decision cited is that it is a part of recent “cost-cutting measures”. 

This marks a strange change of heart on Google’s part, which as recently as this year seemed determined to continue working on new chromebooks. Given the fact that the team as a whole has been disbanded it seems highly unlikely that we will be receiving chromebooks from Google in the foreseeable future. 

For reference, the last Pixelbook launched way back in 2019, and it was a disappointing device by the account of most reviewers. Additionally, Google has been slow to launch new Pixel tablets which shows the tech giant is consolidating its efforts and focusing on smartphones and, ostensibly, an upcoming VR/AR headset. 

This shift in strategy reflects the new ambitions of Google to compete in fields where it still hopes to dominate the market. Given that most smartphones nowadays run Google’s Android and that virtual reality is regarded as the next frontier in mobile technology, the new direction is hardly surprising. 

This, however, means that only Apple amongst the “Big Four” American tech giants is still officially waging war on all fronts. Google’s departure from yet another tech market indicates that no one is really capable of taking on the Cupertino company.