Samsung announces new Galaxy Tab models with iPad prices

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
Samsung has ditched the boxy new 10.1 inch Galaxy Tab it debuted just a month ago to announce a new model that is as thin and light as Apple iPad 2 and priced the same, targeted for an early June launch.



As light, thin, cheap and fast as iPad, in two months



Samsung showed off a new but not yet functioning 10.1 inch Galaxy Tab with a case just .33 inches or 8.6 mm thick (iPad 2 is .34 inches thick, a difference of a quarter of a millimeter) and reportedly weighing 1.31 pounds or 595 grams (iPad 2 is 1.33 lbs or 600 grams), after describing its original 2011 tablet products at Februarys' Mobile World Congress as "inadequate" compared to iPad 2.



Also like Apple's currently shipping iPad 2 is Samsung's use of a 1Ghz dual core CPU, which Engadget speculated to be an NVIDIA Tegra 2, despite the fact that Samsung builds its own Hummingbird application processors like the one used in its existing 7 inch Galaxy Tab.



Samsung also fabricates Apple's A5 used in the iPad 2, but does not design that chip nor does it have rights to use it. Samsung's previous Hummingbird is similar but not identical to Apple's A4, indicating that it may likely be building its own equivalent to the A5. However, Google's initial support for NVIDIA's Tegra 2 in Android 3.0 Honeycomb could conceivably push Samsung to use another manufacturer's chips in order to get the product to market quickly.



The new 10.1 inch model will be joined by a 8.9 inch version. Samsung says the larger model will start at $499 for the 16GB version and $599 for the 32GB model (both WiFi-only), while the smaller version will start at $469 and $569 for the same capacities, respectively.







Runs Honeycomb like Motorola Xoom



Motorola disappointed Android enthusiasts hoping for an affordable Honeycomb tablet by pricing its 10.1 inch Xoom at $800, and only bringing prices down towards the iPad after launch. Like the Xoom, Samsung's new tablets ignore the 7 inch tablet market that failed to materialize last fall, just as Apple's chief executive Steve Jobs had predicted.



Samsung will also add a layer of its own differentiated software on top of Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb, setting the new tablets apart from similar offerings from Motorola and Toshiba. Like those other Honeycomb tablets however, Samsung will use a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1280x800 resolution, making it more suited to movie playback rather than aimed at general handheld computing like Apple's iPad.



Other differences from iPad include a build in microSD slot and marginally better front and rear cameras with an LED flash, although they're still not adequate for taking photos at just 2 to 3 megapixels each.



Aspects unlike Apple



There's also a number of things Samsung isn't copying from Apple. The company has no retail presence, relying upon big box retailers to sell its Galaxy Tab, something that didn't work well last fall. It also isn't developing its own platform or software store, delegating that task to Google.



And notably, Samsung isn't developing its own apps, as Apple did last year in releasing Pages, Keynote and Numbers, and this year in releasing Photo Booth, FaceTime, iMovie and GarageBand for its latest iPad. There is currently only a small sampling of apps optimized for Android 3.0, providing much less general functionality for tablets that run it. So far, non-iPad tablet sales have been unremarkable, which has done little to stoke enthusiastic commercial development outside of Apple's App Store.



Samsung will be adding its own "Social Hub" layer of software on Android 3.0 Honeycomb, which "will aggregate email, instant messaging, contacts, calendar and social network connections into a single interface," something that is likely to replace rather than encourage third party development.



Android's app market



Android has had problems attracting real development to its existing smartphone platform, despite having a large installed base that is comparable in size to Apple's iPhone. In part, this is due to mistakes Google has made in running its Android Market, something Amazon hopes to correct with its own online store for Android apps.



But fractionalization of Android OS releases, which rarely make their way to handset users within less than 3 to 6 months after they are finished and are often never released for some phones, are also a problem for Android software developers. Most Android smartphone users are still using Android 2.2 Froyo, which was released a year ago.



Google may be able to improve this situation in tablets, where its partners should be able to distribute updates without as much delay from carriers. However, there's still no evidence that there's any real market for tablets outside of Apple's iPad, which is aimed at delivering a "post-PC" product that is very different than the wide array of tablets that have existed before it and continue to be designed, all of which seem to focus on hardware specifications rather than real utility.



Samsung, like Motorola, appears to be primarily targeting web browser users, with emphasis on HD video and Adobe Flash, something that is still promised to be finished soon. But as with smartphones, mobile users seem to be more interested in responsive apps that perform a particular task well rather than just buying a web browser appliance, something that has never really gained traction in the market despite many attempts by Be, Palm, Sony and others.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 139
    icarbonicarbon Posts: 196member
    Given the timing and drastic size reduction, is there any reasonable way a person can hope that this doesn't have heat or battery issues?



    I mean, if it was that easy to make smaller, wouldn't they have done it that way originally? Apple has been pushing themselves to the limit to get to where they are on size.
  • Reply 2 of 139
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Even if I were an Apple hater and thus intent on buying a clone, the speed these clone manufactures abandon ship on a product would make me have serious second thoughts about my hate for Apple!
  • Reply 3 of 139
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iCarbon View Post


    Given the timing and drastic size reduction, is there any reasonable way a person can hope that this doesn't have heat or battery issues?



    I mean, if it was that easy to make smaller, wouldn't they have done it that way originally? Apple has been pushing themselves to the limit to get to where they are on size.





    and that is the reason they don't mention battery life.
  • Reply 4 of 139
    asherianasherian Posts: 144member
    This article is genuinely defensive and terribly written. The shots at the Android app market are particularly perplexing, because the market has been growing very rapidly and almost all of the top iPhone apps have or will shortly have Android variants.



    It also doesn't mention that the battery is the same size as the iPad 2's and is rated at 10 hours for video like the iPad 2, and it has a superior screen to the iPad 2. If anything, the screen is the highlight. It's the world's first PLS screen in consumer electronics, which is the evolutionary success to the IPS screen in the iPads. PLS screens are 15% cheaper, 10% brighter, and have better viewing angles.



    MacRumors reported in February that Apple wanted to use the PLS panel in the iPad 2, but they ultimately didn't. Samsung holds 30 patents on the screen so it is the world's only manufacturer.



    Also, Flash is still "soon" for Honeycomb, but the beta is out now and it's GPU-accelerated.
  • Reply 5 of 139
    nobodyynobodyy Posts: 377member
    Even though I don't know very much about it yet, I would say this is the first tablet that actually is in the same playing field at the iPad.



    However, I'm assuming that it matches things set up by Apple, like battery life, performance, and their spin of Android being completely functional (unlike the original Galaxy Tab).



    I guess we have to wait until it's released to see.
  • Reply 6 of 139
    bullheadbullhead Posts: 493member
    I do not get how Samsung thinks it can compete head to head with the iPad. The only hope Samsung has at sellling these things is to significantly undercut the iPads price. If this thing was selling for $299 it might have a chance, but matching the price of the iPad for a cloner makes no sense. No one in their right mind would buy the cloner if you can get the real thing for the same price.
  • Reply 7 of 139
    psych_guypsych_guy Posts: 486member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Asherian View Post


    This article is genuinely defensive and terribly written. The shots at the Android app market are particularly perplexing, because the market has been growing very rapidly and almost all of the top iPhone apps have or will shortly have Android variants.



    It also doesn't mention that the battery is the same size as the iPad 2's and is rated at 10 hours for video like the iPad 2, and it has a superior screen to the iPad 2. If anything, the screen is the highlight. It's the world's first PLS screen, which is the evolutionary success to the IPS screen in the iPads. PLS screens are 15% cheaper, 10% brighter, and have better viewing angles.



    Wow, that didn't take long. I mean to turn this into another childish DED bashing thread.
  • Reply 8 of 139
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    WTF



    How did they do that? So fast!



    And how did they get it that thin? Without the unibody structure?



    They don't have the magnets though ? and the smart cover. And the Apps. And the integrated user interface.



    Good to see iPad 2 has a little friend to play with. It'll make iPad 3 only better.
  • Reply 9 of 139
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    As of now, it's vaporware.



    I saw a dumb video on engadget and they were showing both tablets, but they couldn't even be powered on. What's the use of showing a video of two blank screens with nothing on them?

  • Reply 10 of 139
    asherianasherian Posts: 144member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mr O View Post


    WTF



    How did they do that? So fast!



    And how did they get it that thin? Without the unibody structure?



    They don't have the magnets though … and the smart cover. And the Apps. And the integrated user interface.



    Good to see iPad 2 has a little friend to play with. It'll make iPad 3 only better.



    The Honeycomb UI is the one reason I cancelled my iPad 2 order and will be waiting for the Tab 10.1. I'm far too much of a multitasker to comfortably use the iOS UI. The lack of real tabbed browsing is massively annoying as well -- Honeycomb's Chrome-like browser is a huge plus for me, considering 99% of my use will be web browsing. The fact that it has a superior gmail client and notifications is also what pushes me over the edge, as when I'm not using it to browse the web, I'll be in gmail.
  • Reply 11 of 139
    luisdiasluisdias Posts: 277member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Asherian View Post


    This article is genuinely defensive and terribly written. The shots at the Android app market are particularly perplexing, because the market has been growing very rapidly and almost all of the top iPhone apps have or will shortly have Android variants.



    Please show me where are the tablet apps out there that can compare with the iPad apps currently in existence. KTHNKSBYE.



    Quote:

    It also doesn't mention that the battery is the same size as the iPad 2's and is rated at 10 hours for video like the iPad 2



    They rated it at 10 hours. Time will tell. They also did not mention flash. Curious, innit? I wonder how is the battery drain with flash. I still have hopes they can pull a "flash without battery drain" stunt, but how I doubt that.



    Quote:

    ..., and it has a superior screen to the iPad 2. If anything, the screen is the highlight. It's the world's first PLS screen in consumer electronics, which is the evolutionary success to the IPS screen in the iPads. PLS screens are 15% cheaper, 10% brighter, and have better viewing angles.



    ... And perhaps they are still built in small numbers? Which makes me wonder how many of these are Samsung predicting to sell...



    Quote:

    MacRumors reported in February that Apple wanted to use the PLS panel in the iPad 2, but they ultimately didn't. Samsung holds 30 patents on the screen so it is the world's only manufacturer.



    Good luck for them.
  • Reply 12 of 139
    asherianasherian Posts: 144member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    As of now, it's vaporware.



    I saw a dumb video on engadget and they were showing both tablets, but they couldn't even be powered on. What's the use of showing a video of two blank screens with nothing on them?





    The HW itself is running, just in the old chassis. They haven't had time to get any new HW back from the factory in the new chassis because, well, they probably just finished the design last week given the timeline.
  • Reply 13 of 139
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Asherian View Post


    The HW itself is running, just in the old chassis. They haven't had time to get any new HW back from the factory in the new chassis because, well, they probably just finished the design last week given the timeline.



    Yes, they did show the OS running in the old chassis.



    The new tablet might be thinner, but it's also larger than the first version was, according to the dimensions.
  • Reply 13 of 139
    tjwtjw Posts: 216member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Psych_guy View Post


    Wow, that didn't take long. I mean to turn this into another childish DED bashing thread.



    It wouldn't happen if DED didn't warp the facts so much that he verges on political al spin. He fails to mention both samsungs are 2mm thinner than the ipad 2. It was only 2 weeks ago that everyone was raving that nobody could unveil a tablet as thin as the ipad. Samsung have just gone and beat it.



    No doubt DED would have mentioned it if the ipad was 2mm thinner
  • Reply 15 of 139
    luisdiasluisdias Posts: 277member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bullhead View Post


    I do not get how Samsung thinks it can compete head to head with the iPad. The only hope Samsung has at sellling these things is to significantly undercut the iPads price. If this thing was selling for $299 it might have a chance, but matching the price of the iPad for a cloner makes no sense. No one in their right mind would buy the cloner if you can get the real thing for the same price.



    Time will tell. 299 would be ridiculous. You'd still have a point with a 399 price mark.





    Even still, I think they will sell quite well at that price point. Google is not Microsoft, it has a good brand among youngsters. They will be able to talk up about flash, about chrome (a better browser, IMHO), about... well that's about it. Apple will show off their apps ecosystem... and thats' about it.



    Apple will obviously sell more than Samsung, but this competition is getting better. It's no where near the debacle of the Xoom.
  • Reply 16 of 139
    asherianasherian Posts: 144member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by LuisDias View Post


    Please show me where are the tablet apps out there that can compare with the iPad apps currently in existence. KTHNKSBYE.



    "KTHNKSBYE"? The kind of maturity one should expect here, I guess.



    Obviously Honeycomb doesn't have the iPad app selection right now. Obviously it will rapidly get many applications, just as Android has.



    If you need a large selection of apps today, then obviously the iPad is the right tablet for you. Personally, I rarely use any apps on my iPhone 3GS aside from Facebook, Twitter, and Bloomberg so apps aren't a big deal to me. All of the apps I want to use are there already or will be soon.



    I'm most interested in the web browsing and email experience. If you want the silly apps and games, then the iPad is the way to go.



    Quote:

    They rated it at 10 hours. Time will tell. They also did not mention flash. Curious, innit? I wonder how is the battery drain with flash. I still have hopes they can pull a "flash without battery drain" stunt, but how I doubt that.



    Flash is GPU accelerated in honeycomb. Regardless, if you don't want Flash, turn it off. I would ask you how long the iPad's battery life is with Flash, but that would be trolling.



    Flash is still very useful. I was out condo shopping last weekend with my iPhone and was checking out competing condo sites, some of which are Flash-based websites. Staring at a giant empty box is infuriating to me. Give me the choice if I'd like to use Flash, even if it would hurt my battery.
  • Reply 17 of 139
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    And, again, who, exactly, is going to write GarageBand quality apps for these Android tablets? Not Samsung, clearly. Not Google. Are independent developers supposed to pour millions of dollars of development costs into super polished productivity apps, for a market that seems more interested in widgets and Google services?



    I find it extremely ironic that the iPad was initially greeted with shouts of "big iPod Touch" and "what is it for, exactly?", and now that Apple is pushing the software towards desktop class applications I'm supposed to shift my focus to specs.



    If tablets are truly going to become the next mainstream computing platform, they're going to have to more than be email, media consumption, and twitter/text clients, but now that Android has competitive hardware serves as nothing more than that, I guess that's plenty.



    It will be very interesting to see how the application scene plays out over the next year-- and yes, I said "application" not "app", because that speaks to what's happening on the iPad. Apple clearly intends this platform to supersede OS X, and to do so it will need to do everything that OS can do and more.



    Does Google have similar ambitions for Android? Do Android devs have any real insentive to do the heavy lifting to create vastly more functionality? Or are hooks to ad services always going to be enough?
  • Reply 18 of 139
    luisdiasluisdias Posts: 277member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tjw View Post


    It wouldn't happen if DED didn't warp the facts so much that he verges on political al spin. He fails to mention both samsungs are 2mm thinner than the ipad 2. It was only 2 weeks ago that everyone was raving that nobody could unveil a tablet as thin as the ipad. Samsung have just gone and beat it.



    No doubt DED would have mentioned it if the ipad was 2mm thinner



    2mm is ridiculous. This is no inverted-wang contest. The diminishing of the thickness is important, but when you get down to such low differences, it's irrelevant. Mind you, Samsung was initially stunned by the iPad's thinness, and talked about redesigning their own tablets. This has probably cost them one month.



    Anyways, it's still apple calling the shots. The others are still running behind, despite the fact that Samsung builds many iPad's parts!
  • Reply 19 of 139
    asherianasherian Posts: 144member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addabox View Post


    And, again, who, exactly, is going to write GarageBand quality apps for these Android tablets? Not Samsung, clearly. Not Google. Are independent developers supposed to pour millions of dollars of development costs into super polished productivity apps, for a market that seems more interested in widgets and Google services?



    The people who want apps like GarageBand are already buying iPads. Frankly, I still don't see the allure to those types of apps.



    From what I can see, the iPad will get people who like games and kind of silly apps like Garage Band, the Tab/Xoom will go for the web/email crowd. Which is a perfectly valid business model.



    I can't say I'm losing any sleep wondering who will write Garage Band for Android... iPad users seemed to get along just fine without it until a couple weeks ago, too.



    FWIW, I am an independent developer and I've got my eye towards Android right now. Anyone who has gone to a recent mobile dev conference will see that's where the attention is right now. And for good reason, just look at the marketshare and trends.
  • Reply 20 of 139
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Asherian View Post


    "

    If you need a large selection of apps today, then obviously the iPad is the right tablet for you. Personally, I rarely use any apps on my iPhone 3GS aside from Facebook, Twitter, and Bloomberg so apps aren't a big deal to me. All of the apps I want to use are there already or will be soon.



    I'm most interested in the web browsing and email experience. If you want the silly apps and games, then the iPad is the way to go.



    Sure, but at some point this becomes untenable. You're actually endorsing the "big phone" theory of tablets, whereas the smart money is on tablets supplanting laptops for a lot of people.



    So does that mean everyone just stops doing anything but surf the web and exchange emails? If so, what's the advantage of cool "multitasking"? Not much tasking going on at all, as far as I can see.



    More apps will come for Honeycomb, but what sort? More Twitter clients? More web services repackaged as apps?



    It would be pretty funny if the iPad became the "productivity, when you want to do real work" tablet and Android became the "whatever, just want to look at the web" device.
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