The Nexus tablet line is long dead but it appears there will be unofficial replacements to come out this 2017. One is the rumored supersized Pixel XXL phablet that could be previewed this May and the other is the large-size slate that reportedly Motorola will soon release.
Citing information provided by a trusted source, Android Police claimed in a report that Lenovo division Motorola "is currently working on a new tablet device." Easily, the device when realized will be Lenovo's answer to Apple's iPad, Samsung's Galaxy Tab and Microsoft's Surface tablets.
But one that really excites is the possibility that the Nexus tablet brand retired by Google a few years back could be getting an unofficial replacement. And it makes sense as Motorola was once under Google. The Moto Tab when deployed could serve as the next Pure Android tablet flagship following the HTC-made Nexus 9.
While details on the upcoming Moto Tab remain scarce, Android Police said the device will likely boast of a display that measures between nine and 10-inch diagonally. A screenshot that accompanied the same report also showed the Moto Tab having a dedicated control key that will summon the App Drawer, which Android Police said is certainly a welcome feature.
It was suggested too that the Moto Tab will include Productivity Mode, which according to 9to5Google is highly likely as the same feature can be found on Lenovo's Yoga Book line.
If the Moto Tab will indeed channel the tablet features and functionalities that were previously identified with Google's Nexus tablets then there likely will be two unofficial Nexus replacements that will hit the market this year. The other one is the rumored Pixel XXL that is said to boast of 6-inch plus screen display with hybrid functionalities of a smartphone and a tablet.
As the screen size of the Pixel XXL is nearing the 7-inch mark, it can be the sequel to the Nexus 7 plus the fact that it will certainly run on Stock Android firmware. Not too many details are available on the Pixel XXL save for the unconfirmed reports that the device bears the codename Taimen.
It could be that Google will introduce Taimen, alongside the two other Pixel 2017 models codenamed Walleye and Muskie, via the Google I/O Developers Conference, where Android 8.0 Oreo is expected to be revealed, this May but the release date is not expected until later in the year.
No unveiling and release date plans for the Moto Tab are known for now.