The Android tablet market was once much riches with many more options than the iPad market, but as consumers shifted their attention to smartphones with big displays, many companies have decided to shrink their tablets portfolio or drop it altogether.

Google has adopted the same strategy in the last couple of years. Even though the Pixel Slate was launched about six months ago, this is a 2-in-1 tablet and laptop rather than a pure Android tablet. The last such product Google released on the market is the Nexus 9, an Android tablet built in collaboration with HTC, which made its debut on ...