Samsung's Galaxy Tab S4 focuses on productivity to take on iPad Pro
Samsung on Wednesday announced its latest tablet, the Galaxy Tab S4, and this time around the company is pushing the tablet's productivity and multitasking prowess in an attempt to woo customers before Apple's expected iPad Pro revamp sees release.
"Tablet mobility, PC power" is the line Samsung is pushing, highlighting the ability to use Samsung DeX on a tablet for the first time. Samsung DeX originally launched on smartphones, allowing a device to be docked and used with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
On the Tab S4, no dock is necessary, just an HDMI adapter. Any Android-capable keyboard and mouse can be used after launching the DeX app which brings a more desktop-focused interface. DeX allows up to 20 windows to be open simultaneously, while each can be resized and moved around the display.
Tab S4 has a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display in a 16:10 aspect ratio, with slim bezels and no home button. Iris and face scanning are used to supplement the usual passcode authentication, but we will have to put these to the test to see how well they perform.
The tablet runs Android 8.1 Oreo, uses the last generation Snapdragon 835 processor, and includes 4GB of RAM. There are dual 13-MP cameras on the front and rear, a USB-C port, a microSD slot, a keyboard connector (similar to Apple's Smart Connector), and of course the headphone jack is sticking around.
Included in the box is Samsung's S Pen, a pressure-sensing stylus similar to the Apple Pencil.
To go alongside the Tab S4, Samsung is making an optional keyboard accessory available for $150 which could be useful for integration with the DeX interface. Speaking of, whenever Tab S4 is docked into the keyboard, DeX is automatically launched.
Samsung began to take preorders for the Galaxy Tab S4 starting today with shipments starting August 10th. For those in the market for an LTE model, Verizon, Sprint and US Cellular will have them available. All in white or black. The basic 64GB version will run $650 and the 256GB version will run $750.
These new tablets are squarely aimed at Apple's iPad Pro line, which is due for a refresh. Apple is expected to launch new iPad Pros later this fall, with the most recent rumors say will be smaller and lose the headphone jack.
"Tablet mobility, PC power" is the line Samsung is pushing, highlighting the ability to use Samsung DeX on a tablet for the first time. Samsung DeX originally launched on smartphones, allowing a device to be docked and used with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
On the Tab S4, no dock is necessary, just an HDMI adapter. Any Android-capable keyboard and mouse can be used after launching the DeX app which brings a more desktop-focused interface. DeX allows up to 20 windows to be open simultaneously, while each can be resized and moved around the display.
Tab S4 has a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display in a 16:10 aspect ratio, with slim bezels and no home button. Iris and face scanning are used to supplement the usual passcode authentication, but we will have to put these to the test to see how well they perform.
The tablet runs Android 8.1 Oreo, uses the last generation Snapdragon 835 processor, and includes 4GB of RAM. There are dual 13-MP cameras on the front and rear, a USB-C port, a microSD slot, a keyboard connector (similar to Apple's Smart Connector), and of course the headphone jack is sticking around.
Included in the box is Samsung's S Pen, a pressure-sensing stylus similar to the Apple Pencil.
To go alongside the Tab S4, Samsung is making an optional keyboard accessory available for $150 which could be useful for integration with the DeX interface. Speaking of, whenever Tab S4 is docked into the keyboard, DeX is automatically launched.
Samsung began to take preorders for the Galaxy Tab S4 starting today with shipments starting August 10th. For those in the market for an LTE model, Verizon, Sprint and US Cellular will have them available. All in white or black. The basic 64GB version will run $650 and the 256GB version will run $750.
These new tablets are squarely aimed at Apple's iPad Pro line, which is due for a refresh. Apple is expected to launch new iPad Pros later this fall, with the most recent rumors say will be smaller and lose the headphone jack.
Comments
Someone once said this after viewing an anti-Apple commercial:
"There's something common with all android manufacturers. They sure aren't afraid of each other."
Samsung thinks, it cares about productivity, Carl!
Big fish will often attack other big fish to gain a competitive advantage.
Case in point. The only reason Samsung is pushing its DeX without a dock is because last year Huawei took it to task on exactly that feature: Desktop Mode but without a dock. A simple point to point cable to a display was enough for it to work. Samsung is now responding, but focussing on Apple.
Both companies will be used to highlight Huawei's Mate 20 series in a couple of months but only for comparative purposes.
No idea if things have improved.
They've gotten worse. No OEMs putting any effort into tablets, Google not taking Android on tablets seriously and developers too lazy to optimize for tablets, instead relying on Android scaling to make phone Apps work on larger screens.
while the Tab 3 used a year old middle range SoC, this uses a year old top SoC. So, better. It’s interesting that while top Android phones have 6GB RAM, with one or two models having 8GD, this, which you’d think needs more, has 4.
the stylus, for those commenting, is a Wacon based technology stylus similar to the Apple Pencil.
so overall, a decent improvement, though I don’t think the docking feature will be used much.
nevertheless, there are still just a relatively small number of Android apps that are designed for Android tablets. Some big names are, but there’s no depth. There are well over 1 million true iPad apps in the App Store. There are also far more serious productivity apps.
while the price is good, I don’t think Samsung will be selling a lot of these. It just doesn’t compare to the pro 10.5”, and the new one, supposedly with an 11” screen is well past it. And that’s without even knowing more than the rumors we hear that can be counted on. Forget the 12.5” model.