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Is the sparse interior really that strange, or just a result of components getting more compact and the screen remaining the same size?

by tyingq 3y ago

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
PeterisP 3y ago
The expected usage of any unused space in a mobile device is to add in extra battery cells, or perhaps to reduce thickness. The fact that neither of these have been done is unusual, and indicates an intentional choice to not do an optimization that almost everyone does.
- kibwen 3y ago
  Eh, more battery adds cost and weight. If components are getting small enough that we no longer need to do gymnastics to cram everything in, that seems like a win from a design and repairability standpoint.
Steltek 3y ago
Yeah, I never viewed this as a "flagship device". Everything you could stuff into those voids is a choice with poor tradeoffs. - Bigger battery: More cost, more weight. And who has battery issues with a tablet anyway? Mine lasts forever. - Performance: More cost and doesn't actually require much more volume - Storage, RAM: Much more cost and not really how Pixels operate, sadly. - Better camera: Who does this on a tablet? Really? So okay, we're mocking the empty space but what do you want to put there that you're willing to pay for?
- stronglikedan 3y ago
  And to add to that list: - Different versions with any combinations of those things: I'm sure they did the analysis and determined the market wouldn't support that.
- ClumsyPilot 3y ago
  > who has battery issues with a tablet anyway?...Better camera: Who does this on a tablet? Really? I do need both of those things. If you don't need any functionality of a tablet, maybe you dont need a tablet at all??
izzydata 3y ago
I think when you design a new device from the ground up you make them fit in a way that allows the remaining space to be a single large rectangle to be entirely filled with battery. This might require custom PCB to have some L shapes. Instead it looks like they took pre-existing components from other devices such as Pixel phones or the Google Home and put them in a larger case.
itsoktocry 3y ago
Yeah, I thought the same thing without even reading the article: it has the same innards as a phone, with 3 times the screen size. Of course there's going to be some space. I imagine this gets more prominent as components get smaller.

Is the sparse interior really that strange, or just a result of components getting more compact and the screen remaining the same size?

by tyingq 3y ago

Is the sparse interior really that strange, or just a result of components getting more compact and the screen remaining the same size?

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

PeterisP 3y ago

The expected usage of any unused space in a mobile device is to add in extra battery cells, or perhaps to reduce thickness. The fact that neither of these have been done is unusual, and indicates an intentional choice to not do an optimization that almost everyone does.

kibwen 3y ago
Eh, more battery adds cost and weight. If components are getting small enough that we no longer need to do gymnastics to cram everything in, that seems like a win from a design and repairability standpoint.

Steltek 3y ago

Yeah, I never viewed this as a "flagship device". Everything you could stuff into those voids is a choice with poor tradeoffs. - Bigger battery: More cost, more weight. And who has battery issues with a tablet anyway? Mine lasts forever. - Performance: More cost and doesn't actually require much more volume - Storage, RAM: Much more cost and not really how Pixels operate, sadly. - Better camera: Who does this on a tablet? Really? So okay, we're mocking the empty space but what do you want to put there that you're willing to pay for?

stronglikedan 3y ago
And to add to that list: - Different versions with any combinations of those things: I'm sure they did the analysis and determined the market wouldn't support that.
ClumsyPilot 3y ago
> who has battery issues with a tablet anyway?...Better camera: Who does this on a tablet? Really? I do need both of those things. If you don't need any functionality of a tablet, maybe you dont need a tablet at all??

izzydata 3y ago

I think when you design a new device from the ground up you make them fit in a way that allows the remaining space to be a single large rectangle to be entirely filled with battery. This might require custom PCB to have some L shapes. Instead it looks like they took pre-existing components from other devices such as Pixel phones or the Google Home and put them in a larger case.

itsoktocry 3y ago

Yeah, I thought the same thing without even reading the article: it has the same innards as a phone, with 3 times the screen size. Of course there's going to be some space. I imagine this gets more prominent as components get smaller.