Samsung is experiencing massive success with the Galaxy smartphones, but the same can't be said for the Galaxy tablets. Apple is still top dog in this space, and Samsung is hoping its next two tablets are able to put some well-needed pressure on Apple's shoulders.
Yesterday, Samsung rolled out the Galaxy Tab S, and went out of its way to declare the device as the company's flagship tablet for the year 2014. The tablet itself looks very impressive with a beautiful 10.5-inch AMOLED display, and a very light and thin design. The resolution on the Galaxy Tab S is a gorgeous 2,560 x 1,600 with 287 pixels per inch.
At the back of the device is an 8-megapixel camera, and at the front, a 2.1-megapixel camera for taking video calls. The tablet comes with only 16 GB of built in storage, though it does come with a memory card that is capable of housing an extra 128 GB of memory.
When it comes down to battery life, Samsung claims it can keep users entertained for up to 11 hours, and that's with video playback being constant. If this is true, then the Galaxy Tab S is running for the contender of best tablet this year, but all depends on what Apple has to show at the end of the year.
Additionally, there's an 8.4-inch version of the Galaxy Tab S. The specifications are relatively the same, the only main difference is the screen size and the display's 360 pixels per inch.
"The tablet is becoming a popular personal viewing device for enjoying content, which makes the quality of the display a critical feature," said JK Shin, CEO and president of Samsung Electronics' IT & Mobile Division. "With the launch of the Galaxy Tab S, Samsung is setting the industry bar higher for the entire mobile industry. It will provide consumers with a visual and entertainment experience that brings colors to life, beautifully packaged in a sleek and ultra-portable mobile device."
Is this the first Samsung tablet to unseat the Apple iPad? Probably not, but it should perform well enough regardless. Furthermore, we might be witnessing the best in the Android tablet lineup, but still good enough to make Apple executives shake with utter fear.
The 10.5-inch version will go on sale for $499, and the 8.3-inch version will go for $399. Decent prices, so now we wait to see how Apple and other competitors respond.
