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Google’s Chrome OS tablet might have been leaked by keyboard maker

Google’s Chrome OS tablet might have been leaked by keyboard maker

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Product shots from Bluetooth keyboard manufacturer Brydge appear to give an early look at Google’s rumored Chrome OS tablet, codenamed “Nocturne,” which some are speculating will be announced alongside the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones on October 9th. The images, which were spotted by AboutChromebooks, show off a tablet with dual front-facing speakers, a USB Type-C port, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Since these shots were provided by a keyboard manufacturer, they understandably focus on the keyboard, which attaches to the tablet via a pair of clasps and appears to communicate over Bluetooth rather than a physical connection. It’s also very possible that the tablet images are mock-ups from Brydge, not an actual Google-made device.

But if they’re genuine, this could be the same device as the new Pixelbook that we saw leak just last week, which has also been appearing in online ads recently. However, it’s unclear whether that device features the detachable keyboard that seems to be present here.

Rumors about the upcoming tablet have been swirling since early August when references to “Nocturne” started appearing in Chrome OS’s source code. Nocturne may or may not be accompanied by a second device, codenamed “Atlas,” when it’s announced in October.

We’ve already seen one 2-in-1 Chrome OS tablet this year — the Acer Chromebook Tab 10 — but at the time, we didn’t think the operating system was ready for a tablet. However, since then, version 70 of Chrome OS has introduced a number of improvements made to its touchscreen interface.

Chrome OS is fast turning into a worthy successor for Android on tablet devices. The big question now is whether Google intends to showcase this with a flagship device of its own.