Tablets Android tablets are dead

[Technerd108]

My Z Fold 4, S23 Ultra and Tab S9 are hardly lower priced alternatives to Apple...

Well if Apple sold a foldable phone and a phone with a stylus it would cost a lot more than what Samsung is charging. Also the tab s9 is equivalent to the iPad Pro with a better screen and s pen included.

Of course the person you responded to only said Android and there is a wide variety of price points where there are plenty of low priced alternatives to Apple. Android also offers more choices in budget, mid range and high end with Samsung and Google offering plenty to choose from.

 

[Digitalguy]

Well if Apple sold a foldable phone and a phone with a stylus it would cost a lot more than what Samsung is charging. Also the tab s9 is equivalent to the iPad Pro with a better screen and s pen included.

Of course the person you responded to only said Android and there is a wide variety of price points where there are plenty of low priced alternatives to Apple. Android also offers more choices in budget, mid range and high end with Samsung and Google offering plenty to choose from.

Yeah I think he was just referring to the fact that with Android you can find many tablets under $300 new, while with Apple you have to wait a sale or buy used/refurbished (and even then sales generally don't go under $200).
Having said that my guess is that a foldable iPhone, which turns into an iPad mini, would start at $1999.
But by that time in a not so close future, Samsung might come out with a Z Fold ultra that has the same cameras as the S2X ultra, built-in stylus etc. and charge even more than the current $1799.
And yes, probably next year the iPad pro 11 will start at $899 with oled, pencil not included.

 

[jimimac71]

It just might be all tablets are going to be dead to me.
My iPad 7 from 2019 is rendered useless mostly as iPad OS 17 takes up almost 20 GB of 32.
For me, EOL.
2021 Nokia T20 is not likely to get Android 13 as it is pretty much 2 years old since the original release.
2019 Samsung Galaxy Tab A is EOL.
My 2017 Fire Tablet 10 is useless, as is to be expected. Still boots but Micro USB port doesn't work properly.
2019 Fire Tablet 10 is something I could use if mandatory, but my Nokia and Samsung are all I use now.
My iPad 7 is now retired. No room for apps I need.
So I want a 2 in 1 Chromebook. Google has extended EOL to 10 years.
I would like to find a good forum for Chromebooks, even one started here.

 

[Digitalguy]

It just might be all tablets are going to be dead to me.
My iPad 7 from 2019 is rendered useless mostly as iPad OS 17 takes up almost 20 GB of 32.
For me, EOL.
2021 Nokia T20 is not likely to get Android 13 as it is pretty much 2 years old since the original release.
2019 Samsung Galaxy Tab A is EOL.
My 2017 Fire Tablet 10 is useless, as is to be expected. Still boots but Micro USB port doesn't work properly.
2019 Fire Tablet 10 is something I could use if mandatory, but my Nokia and Samsung are all I use now.
My iPad 7 is now retired. No room for apps I need.
So I want a 2 in 1 Chromebook. Google has extended EOL to 10 years.
I would like to find a good forum for Chromebooks, even one started here.

I know this is a sensitive subject but personally I have no issues using tablets way past their end of support. But I mainly have powerful flagship tablets, not entry level ones, if a tablet is too slow I would probably retire it in a drawer.

 

[jimimac71]

My go-to device is a tablet. I believe in staying in my budget (cheap). The iPad 6 is okay with OS 17. But just like my iPad 7, it is crippled if there is only 32 GB storage. I fault Apple for making upgrades so costly.
My iPad 7 probably won't make it to OS 18.
I'm not sensitive about it, but don't want a device that is out of date.
The idea that Google extended Chrome OS EOL to 10 years probably has to do with education.
I've also become tired of a touch keyboard all the time.
The keyboard takes up too much space in landscape and portrait mode has too many crippling issues overall.
With a Chromebook I get a real desktop browser.
While I prefer Firefox, Chrome is okay and I can finally have ad blocking. Mobile browsers are annoying.
I will not be replacing my Windows 10 PC. It cannot have Windows 11.
So Chromebook is the best thing for me to do.

 

[Vegastouch]

My go-to device is a tablet. I believe in staying in my budget (cheap). The iPad 6 is okay with OS 17. But just like my iPad 7, it is crippled if there is only 32 GB storage. I fault Apple for making upgrades so costly.
My iPad 7 probably won't make it to OS 18.
I'm not sensitive about it, but don't want a device that is out of date.
The idea that Google extended Chrome OS EOL to 10 years probably has to do with education.
I've also become tired of a touch keyboard all the time.
The keyboard takes up too much space in landscape and portrait mode has too many crippling issues overall.
With a Chromebook I get a real desktop browser.
While I prefer Firefox, Chrome is okay and I can finally have ad blocking. Mobile browsers are annoying.
I will not be replacing my Windows 10 PC. It cannot have Windows 11.
So Chromebook is the best thing for me to do.

Just know you buying the smallest space (32GB) is what is hampering you. You need to spend a bit more and have room for updates and things. 32 GB is tiny these days.

I go at least 128 GB for Tabs and Phone.

 

[jimimac71]

Just know you buying the smallest space (32GB) is what is hampering you. You need to spend a bit more and have room for updates and things. 32 GB is tiny these days.

I go at least 128 GB for Tabs and Phone.

Spending a little more isn't an Apple thing.
Except for my original (2017) Amazon Fire 10, all my other Android devices have 64 GB and Micro SD.
I don't really need more than 4/64.
Yeah, I'd want 8/128 with a Chrome device.

 

[lostPod]

My go-to device is a tablet. I believe in staying in my budget (cheap). The iPad 6 is okay with OS 17. But just like my iPad 7, it is crippled if there is only 32 GB storage. I fault Apple for making upgrades so costly.
My iPad 7 probably won't make it to OS 18.
I'm not sensitive about it, but don't want a device that is out of date.
The idea that Google extended Chrome OS EOL to 10 years probably has to do with education.
I've also become tired of a touch keyboard all the time.
The keyboard takes up too much space in landscape and portrait mode has too many crippling issues overall.
With a Chromebook I get a real desktop browser.
While I prefer Firefox, Chrome is okay and I can finally have ad blocking. Mobile browsers are annoying.
I will not be replacing my Windows 10 PC. It cannot have Windows 11.
So Chromebook is the best thing for me to do.

I tried chromebook and in comparison my samsung s7 tablet offered more of what I needed.

 

[jimimac71]

I tried chromebook and in comparison my samsung s7 tablet offered more of what I needed.

I've not tried Chromebook but read up on it frequently. I wish for a 2 in 1.
My eyesight is bad so I hold my tablet, they are all 10 inch, in my left hand an type with one finger on my right hand. My typing isn't faster on a keyboard. I've got a pinched nerve in my left side from the tablet.
So I need to consider a change. With Chromebook, I probably wouldn't need much from the Google Play Store. It is annoying when apps are not compatible with any of my devices, or one but not another. Some apps won't rotate and I grow tired of that. Apps are sometimes designed for a phone and that's it.
It might be nice to have access to Linux apps without the effort of learning and using a Linux distro.
Curious to know what makes the Samsung tablet more of what you need?
I like my Samsung Galaxy Tab A more in some ways than my Nokia T20.
I can hold the Tab A in one hand completely and it feels lighter than the T20.
The T20 is faster but that doesn't make it better.

 

[Shanghaichica]

My go-to device is a tablet. I believe in staying in my budget (cheap). The iPad 6 is okay with OS 17. But just like my iPad 7, it is crippled if there is only 32 GB storage. I fault Apple for making upgrades so costly.
My iPad 7 probably won't make it to OS 18.
I'm not sensitive about it, but don't want a device that is out of date.
The idea that Google extended Chrome OS EOL to 10 years probably has to do with education.
I've also become tired of a touch keyboard all the time.
The keyboard takes up too much space in landscape and portrait mode has too many crippling issues overall.
With a Chromebook I get a real desktop browser.
While I prefer Firefox, Chrome is okay and I can finally have ad blocking. Mobile browsers are annoying.
I will not be replacing my Windows 10 PC. It cannot have Windows 11.
So Chromebook is the best thing for me to do.

It's very impressive still. I bought my kids (5 and 7) a chromebook last year to use as their first computer last year. It cost £99 and will be supported until 2027. So that's £99 for a device that will be supported for 5 years. A new chromebook released this year will have 10 years.

 

[ackmondual]

I know this is a sensitive subject but personally I have no issues using tablets way past their end of support. But I mainly have powerful flagship tablets, not entry level ones, if a tablet is too slow I would probably retire it in a drawer.

Ditto. This was one reason I never saw Apple providing 5+ years of OS updates as anything of a big deal. Some folks recommend you NOT go past 2 major updates than the version of iOS that originally came on it anyways.

Just know you buying the smallest space (32GB) is what is hampering you. You need to spend a bit more and have room for updates and things. 32 GB is tiny these days.

I go at least 128 GB for Tabs and Phone.

I'm just amused Apple still sells them. For my 9th gen iPad, the only choices were 64 or 256 GB. No middle ground for 128 GB

 

[Digitalguy]

Ditto. This was one reason I never saw Apple providing 5+ years of OS updates as anything of a big deal. Some folks recommend you NOT go past 2 major updates than the version of iOS that originally came on it anyways.

This is a very polarizing subject. For some people end of support means they stop using the device or sell it (although I wonder, it they think using an unsupported device is so bad, is it "ethical" to sell it? 🙃)
Others not only are fine with device past end of support, but do not update them while they could. Some even never update at all (see forum member FeliApple)
I am in the middle, I tend to update if the update brings me some advantages but I am careful, although what happened with IOS 9 and 1GB RAM (or less) devices is not something that could happen again IMO.
Hardware today is becoming more future proof than it was, both for iPads and high end Android tablets.
And while iPads are supported for 1-2 years more than the best in class Android tablets, Android apps work fine for longer than iPadOS ones, so in the end 10 years from now a high end Samsung tablet (e.g. S9) will have the same usability as M2 iPad pro, it will just lose security updates earlier, but I am in the camp of those who are not worried in the slightest about security on a tablet (but as I always say, if you don't know what you are doing or are not technical enough it's not a bad thing to be worried...😉)

 

[jimimac71]

I fired up my (pun intended) Fire 10 tablet (2019).
There were numerous updates waiting from earlier this year.
That's the promise, "4 years of updates after the product is no longer for sale on Amazon."
I am reluctant to depend on a product that is no longer current.
If I boot my iPad, it will get an emergency update to iPad OS 17.
I've never seen Android do that.
I don't like the iPad over Android, but it is more secure.
Sometimes overkill but better than not.
I don't have the elevated knowledge for Android.

 

[Technerd108]

I fired up my (pun intended) Fire 10 tablet (2019).
There were numerous updates waiting from earlier this year.
That's the promise, "4 years of updates after the product is no longer for sale on Amazon."
I am reluctant to depend on a product that is no longer current.
If I boot my iPad, it will get an emergency update to iPad OS 17.
I've never seen Android do that.
I don't like the iPad over Android, but it is more secure.
Sometimes overkill but better than not.
I don't have the elevated knowledge for Android.

I bet that Fire 10 cost under $200? That is what would be considered a budget Android tablet.

iPad 9th gen offers a lot of value in terms of tablets and it is hard for Android OEM to truly compete. The Samsung Galaxy s6 lite is an attempt to answer this segment. Both are excellent tablets in their category. I think if you would have bought a s6 lite you might have had a different experience.

Now if you had a high end Android tablet like the Tab s9 then you would have 5 years of support. Most Samsung tablets come with 5 years updates.

 

[jimimac71]

The Fire 10 is normally $149. Got my 2017 for $99.
Both my Samsung and Nokia were under $200. Both were on sale.
My refurbished iPad 7 was just over $200.
For me, the sweet spot for a tabby would be $300.
My Nokia T20 has almost everything I want, and their new T21 is even more.
Back camera with flash/flashlight/FM/GPS. My T20 does not have GPS but all else.
I realize a tablet is a better value for me than a Chromebook at $300.
My $50 flip phone has a camera with flash and flashlight and FM.
I got lucky. It was 50% off from Lively.
My Nokia is 4/64 and that is plenty. I don't use the microSD slot.
I belong to Microsoft Rewards. I need to use the Edge browser.
The browser slows my tablet way down plus the chronic pestering from Bing AI.
I don't want anything more to do with Microsoft or Apple.
Don't want to go Linux, leaving me with Android or Chrome OS.
I can screen mirror (Miracast) with my Samsung and Android 11 to Roku.
Nokia is only Chromecast capable. Like I need another streaming device?

 

[sracer]

I bet that Fire 10 cost under $200? That is what would be considered a budget Android tablet.

iPad 9th gen offers a lot of value in terms of tablets and it is hard for Android OEM to truly compete. The Samsung Galaxy s6 lite is an attempt to answer this segment. Both are excellent tablets in their category. I think if you would have bought a s6 lite you might have had a different experience.

Now if you had a high end Android tablet like the Tab s9 then you would have 5 years of support. Most Samsung tablets come with 5 years updates.

Good thoughts! 👍

I just picked up a Tab S6 Lite ($249 USD) on Saturday. (I had given my Tab S6 to my wife a year and a half ago, and I switched to an iPad 9th gen) I'm impressed with the quality and performance. I'm still using my 9th gen iPad as a chromebook replacement, but there are just some things about Samsung's Android tablets that I miss. DeX and the S-Pen being just two.

Having extensive experience with cheap Chinese android tablets and Amazon Fire tablets, I concur with your statement that trying the S6 Lite would result in a difference experience.

I have owned a few Chrome OS tablets (still own one, original Lenovo Duet) and still own a clamshell Chromebook and a 2-in-1 convertible chromebook. Attempting to use any Chrome OS device as a tablet replacement for Android tablets have not been a good experience.

Chrome OS still doesn't handle Android apps well. As just one example, the Android filesystem is sandboxed from Chrome OS (keyholed on external storage like USB drives and SD cards) so that requires some planning as to where files will reside if you will be using Chrome OS and Android apps to operate on those files.

Having the Android container running on top of Chrome OS takes a performance hit (compared to devices running Android natively). This is where one needs to plan out how they will be using their Chrome OS device and choose accordingly. ARM-based Chrome OS devices run Android apps a bit better (more stable, better performance) than Intel-based devices. But for Chrome OS-centric tasks (and Linux app support) Intel-based devices are a bit better. The difference isn't dramatic, but it can be noticeable at times.

I've been a Chrome OS user from near the beginning of the platform and one disturbing trend (for me) that I've seen over the past 3 years has been the proliferation of subscription SaaS. That isn't something new or unique, but with the internet-focus of Chrome OS it makes it easier to spread. As a result there are fewer to no non-subscription alternatives.

 

[ozaz]

iPad 9th gen offers a lot of value in terms of tablets and it is hard for Android OEM to truly compete. The Samsung Galaxy s6 lite is an attempt to answer this segment. Both are excellent tablets in their category. I think if you would have bought a s6 lite you might have had a different experience.

I just wish the S6 Lite had a fingerprint sensor like the base iPad. I ended up getting an S8 when I switched from iPad to Android tablet, but the specs are a bit overkill for my mostly casual use needs. An S6 Lite with a fingerprint sensor would be ideal.

 

[Technerd108]

I just wish the S6 Lite had a fingerprint sensor like the base iPad. I ended up getting an S8 when I switched from iPad to Android tablet, but the specs are a bit overkill for my mostly casual use needs. An S6 Lite with a fingerprint sensor would be ideal.

I get it. However with thes6 lite, you do get a free stylus?

Honestly for $349 and often on sale for $249 it is a pretty phenomenal tablet in my opinion. A beautiful 2k screen, decent stereo speakers, perfect size and weight. Great build quality, decent performance for the cost and decent battery life.

Honestly I think the s6 offers a lot of value.

However, if you can find an s8 on sale and or trade in, you might not pay too much more than the msrp of the s6 lite?

Even though it may be overkill the tab s8 is a pleasure to use. The 120hz TFT LCD screen is one of the best in the business. The quad speakers are very nice. The nice build quality and s pen are all probably overkill but they all add up to make such a great experience. Streaming on the tab s8 is much better than an iPad for example. The 8 gen 1 has great graphics, is speedy enough, and has decent battery life.

The other thing a lot of people don't consider is not just how it performs now but if you are someone who keeps their stuff a long time then a faster processor and more ram all will extend both the useful life but also the pleasurable use of the device over its lifetime. In other words with a s6 light about half way through the ownership experience you may find the tablet slow down and apps load longer, etc. While with the tab s8 you might never notice any slowdown during the entire lifetime of the product which makes it more useful and a better experience over all.

So while saving money is always nice and the s6 lite better fits your needs now I think you will be happier with your choice as the time goes on.

 

[jimimac71]

My Nokia T20 updated to Android 13 today. That took me very much by surprise.
I use Microsoft Launcher so nothing really looks different.
It was a 2.74 GB update. That also surprised me.

 

[ackmondual]

If nothing else, Android tablets seem to be good readers, and managing files and documents. Even with Apple's file manager app, I hear it still takes many more steps to get files onto their tablets

 

[sracer]

If nothing else, Android tablets seem to be good readers, and managing files and documents. Even with Apple's file manager app, I hear it still takes many more steps to get files onto their tablets

That is still the case. I've got my iPad+Smart Keyboard Cover+BT mouse and my Galaxy Tab S6 Lite+Logi keyboard+Logi Pebble mouse side-by-side as I try comparing workflows between the two platforms.

It is indeed more straight forward to get files onto the Tab S6 and have apps work on those files than it is on the iPad. Things get more convoluted on the iPad side when having different apps work on the same file.

The iPad still does some things better but just a few improvements and changes on the Tab S6 Lite side over the past year have me considering switching back from the iPad (over a year after switching from the Tab S6 (not Lite) to the iPad).

But I have the luxury of having great iPad and Tab S6 Lite configurations... I can use both and don't have to choose one over the other.

 

[Abazigal]

Ditto. This was one reason I never saw Apple providing 5+ years of OS updates as anything of a big deal. Some folks recommend you NOT go past 2 major updates than the version of iOS that originally came on it anyways.

That was probably true once upon a time (the iPhone 4 started getting very slow with iOS 6, and was flat out unusable with iOS 7), but I think Apple has put in a lot of effort in recent years to ensure that multiple software updates no longer slow down their devices. I kept my iPhone 8+ for 4 years before upgrading to the 13 pro max and the 8+ ran just fine throughout (although the battery life did get a tad worse every year). iOS 17 also feels smoother on my phone and my 2018 iPad Pro (making this its 5th year).

The reason is that Apple is keenly aware that users are holding on to their devices longer, and their business model no longer requires its user base to keep buying new iPhones. Apple just needs people to keep using Apple devices, where they can continue to earn by way of additional hardware, services and apps. Heck, Apple Pay is basically free money for them, and the more active users they have, the more Google pays them to keep search as default in safari.

However, this works only because Apple has an ecosystem that is able to monetise its user base after the sale of the initial device. Other companies like Samsung have no such advantage, so it really isn't in their interest to keep supporting their devices for too long, yet if they don't, then fewer people will buy them. Truly a catch-22 here.

 

[Lauralin099]

Mine tab 6 from samsung stops working everytime i play baby shark for my kid. maybe i should find a new baby shark or the tab

 

[Vegastouch]

My go-to device is a tablet. I believe in staying in my budget (cheap). The iPad 6 is okay with OS 17. But just like my iPad 7, it is crippled if there is only 32 GB storage. I fault Apple for making upgrades so costly.
My iPad 7 probably won't make it to OS 18.
I'm not sensitive about it, but don't want a device that is out of date.
The idea that Google extended Chrome OS EOL to 10 years probably has to do with education.
I've also become tired of a touch keyboard all the time.
The keyboard takes up too much space in landscape and portrait mode has too many crippling issues overall.
With a Chromebook I get a real desktop browser.
While I prefer Firefox, Chrome is okay and I can finally have ad blocking. Mobile browsers are annoying.
I will not be replacing my Windows 10 PC. It cannot have Windows 11.
So Chromebook is the best thing for me to do.

I get you have a budget but 32 GB of storage is nothing. Im surprised you can even still find those. It isnt that much more to get one with more storage. You just going to have to one day. Chromebook is a way to go as well. No idea how much those are but i always try to shoot for at least a mid device instead of a cheapy.

Apple unfortunately never has great deals on their products and why i never gravitated towards them. But my Wife has an iPad, not sure which one and it only has 32 GB.
It has had an update waiting for months, maybe a year or so.....not sure but she doesnt care if it is updated lol. And she dont have the space. I got a decent deal on that a long time ago and one day ill get her a new one when there is a decent deal.

She uses an Android phone so maybe ill get her an Android Tablet.

I also am using a PC with Windows 10 that cant get 11. One day ill get a new one but this one works fine. Ive looked into it, just not a priority.

 

[jimimac71]

I have the iPad 7, purchased refurbished. Got it in late 2021.
I've removed many apps and have about 10 GB remaining.
Apple sells the add-ons at a premium.
I like how the iPad can install any app I want. Android has always been restricted in what my tablets can use. I also like how it isn't slower after installing the latest iPad OS.
My Nokia, and all my other Android tablets slow down after a couple of years.
Amazon tablets get updates, but the OS remains original.
I realize the Chromebook is not a perfect choice. Apps from Google Play can be hit or miss from what I've read. I want a 2 in 1. Looking at about $500.
Not in a hurry as my tablets are still useful.
As for Windows, I have seen Windows 11 and I'm not impressed.
The good news is Windows 12 should become available in 2024 before Windows 10 goes EOL in 2025.
I don't believe it will be a free upgrade.
For the money and OS, the Mac mini is where I'd go next.
A good Chromebook could eliminate that need.