a tough nut to crack

グーグルがタブレット市場から撤退すると発表した模様です。

背景には、アップルのアイパッドという高級端末、一方では安価なアンドロイドOSのタブレット端末という競合の中で独自戦略を描けなかった、ということがあるようです。


The writing has been on the slate for some time now. Roughly this time last year, we reported that Google had wiped all tablet sales off its site. Turns out that was just a bug, but it seemed like an ominous portent of things to come.

Google still went ahead and launched the Pixel Slate late last year, hoping the device would give users a much-welcome form factor alternative to its high-end Pixel Book. Ultimately, however, the device felt redundant, and now it seems it will be the last of its kind. The company this week admitted that its hardware team is giving up the tablet ghost.

“For Google’s first-party hardware efforts, we’ll be focusing on Chrome OS laptops and will continue to support Pixel Slate,” the company said in statement sent to the press today, in response to earlier reports.

（中略）

Tablets have, of course, proven a tough nut to crack for practically every company that isn’t Apple. Google has taken numerous swings at the space, but never quite found its place in amongst the premium iPad or far cheaper Android/Chromebook alternatives.
(Brian Heater. Google says it’s not making any more tablets. Tech Crunch. June 21, 2019.)


引用した記事の後半に、


Tablets have, of course, proven a tough nut to crack for practically every company that isn’t Apple.


というくだりがありますが、"a tough nut to crack"は、難問題、難事業といった意味で使われます。

"a hard nut to crack"という場合もあるようですが、ここでの"nut"は多分食べ物のナッツのことを指しているのでしょう。

殻を割って食べたいところが硬すぎて割れず、食べさせてもらえない、というイメージでしょうか。