How the OnePlus Pad Might Finally Give Us a Worthy iPad Alternative

This year may finally be the year that Android tablets get better.

one plus About to launch OnePlus Pad, an Android-based tablet that complements its capable smartphones. It has an aluminum shell, a central rear camera, and a “hello green” color scheme. But the hardware is the least important part. Historically, Android tablets have been terrible for a number of reasons. Can OnePlus reverse this trajectory?

“There is no denying that Android tablets are significantly lower quality products compared to Apple’s tablets. Overall not a user friendly experience.” John SeeCEO and co-founder of a software company task cadetold Lifewire in an email.

big phone

One of the problems facing Android tablets is that they’re just big smartphones. The iPad has a rich and diverse set of apps, either iPhone apps reimagined for the big screen or iPad-first (and iPad-only) apps. bigger screen.

In other words, an Android tablet is Only suitable for use by children Or adults can watch YouTube videos while cooking. This lack of hardware concern means that it doesn’t make much sense to spend resources on creating a good tablet app. This is a classic chicken and egg situation.

At the same time, Apple’s iPad pricing is aggressive. Unlike the simply expensive iPhone, the entry-level iPad was cheap enough for the budget-conscious buyer. At least until the latest low-end iPads. Launched at $120 more than the previous modelUntil these changes, the iPad was a relatively easy sell for anyone interested in a tablet. Especially considering the much better app ecosystem, build quality, and all the other privacy and convenience benefits of using Apple gear.

As such, the work of serious Android tablet makers is at a loss.

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OnePlus started off as a maker of great Android phones that rivaled Samsung’s and Google’s flagship models, but at a lower price point. After that, it transformed into a rival in that market, Sell ​​a good phone at the same price as your competitorsNow it looks ready to take on the tablet market. This may be easy due to the low quality of competition, but it’s also a challenge as the software for Android tablets is equally spotty.

OnePlus may choose to use a version of OxygenOS, the custom UI it uses on its phones. If this works, it could lead to the tablet taking off.

“OnePlus seems to be on the verge of completely changing the perception of Android tablets, updating the UI (user interface) to be more similar to iPhone devices, making using the device more seamless and intuitive than ever before. before,” says Xie.

This is great for standard built-in apps that OnePlus redesigns for larger screens, but it doesn’t make much sense if app makers aren’t on board. Even the iPad has struggled throughout its history to convince developers to support it. Instagram famously doesn’t have a native iPad app yet. I’m stuck using the iPhone version (or the excellent web version).

Google has full control over the Android OS, so there’s only one company that might be able to fix this.

“The ideal Android tablet is one with better hardware, tablet-specific software, and direct support from Google. OnePlus is committed to providing quality hardware, software, and customer service.” We may be able to achieve this,” said the software developer. Mukesh Sharma I told Lifewire in an email.

So far, Google has considered Chromebooks to be the best replacements for the iPad, but that could change this year. Possible Pixel Tablet on the wayAnd if that can be combined with some tablet-first apps and even better tablet app creation tools for developers, it could lead to something. This year may be the year the iPad finally becomes a contender.