Samsung look set for another assault on the tablet market, with a new range of devices to replace the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 range. The South Korean electronics giant was one of the pioneers in the Android tablet market, but its offerings have failed to capture mainstream attention in the way that Google’s Nexus 7 tablets have managed.
The latest speculation about the Samsung Galaxy Tab range has come courtesy of renowned Twitter-leaker @evleaks. Images posted on the social networking site supposedly show the as-yet-unannounced Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0, with both black and white editions pictured.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 pic.twitter.com/nZ1TT3qwNy
— @evleaks (@evleaks) March 26, 2014
Although @evleaks only posted images of a 7-inch device, in the current Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 line-up there are also 8-inch and 10-inch tablets.
It is unlikely that a 7-inch device will be Samsung’s only tablet release of 2014, particularly as larger displays offer the opportunity to chase higher margins.
In white. pic.twitter.com/C9x552RiWe
— @evleaks (@evleaks) March 26, 2014
Samsung dominates the Android smartphone market and its forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 is widely viewed as a highly desirable premium product.
When it comes to tablets, particularly of the 7-inch variety, Samsung does not compete effectively at the top end of the market. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, for example, is a relatively low-spec tablet that fails to challenge devices like the 2013 Nexus 7.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 has a 1024 x 600 TFT display and is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. By contrast, the Nexus 7 2013 edition offers up a 1920 x 1200 IPS display, with a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor under the hood.
Arguably, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 does not even compare well to similarly-priced rivals like the Lenovo S5000 and ASUS MeMO Pad HD, both of which are powered by 1.2 GHz quad-core processors and have 1280 x 800 IPS displays.
None of the above is to say the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 has been a failure. Specs are not everything and the tablet performs better than is to be expected from reading a list of its hardware.
Samsung’s 7-inch device has its unique selling points too, such as the company’s own TouchWiz user interface. Whilst not everyone is necessarily a fan of the UI, it does mean that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 presents a familiar experience to the many people who own Samsung Galaxy smartphones.
Expertise has helped Samsung get the most out of limited hardware. Combined with a familiar user experience and some aggressive discounting, the company’s approach has seen the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 prove popular with consumers.
From the leaked images, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 certainly looks like an impressive product. But with only relatively small hardware improvements since the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 made its debut back in 2010, Samsung’s 7-inch tablet offering is due a minor overhaul this year that should at least bring its spec into line with devices like the Lenovo S5000 and ASUS MeMO Pad HD.
