Samsung, the South Korean “frenemy” of tech giant Apple, Tuesday released its two Galaxy Tab devices, both aimed squarely at Apple’s iPad. Taking a page from RIM, which earlier in the day unveiled its own PlayBook tablet, Samsung set its Galaxy Tab 10.1 at prices mirroring the iPad 2: $499 and $599 for 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi versions, respectively.
However, both Tabs have a 1280×800 pixel display, versus the iPad 2’s 1024×768 9.7-inch screen. The Samsung devices shave a hair from its thickness. Still the difference (Samsung’s 8.6 millimeter versus the iPad’s 8.8 mm) is only noticeable with someone carrying a finely-tuned scale.
Other differences between the two tablets include Samsung’s support for 4G networks (Apple supports AT&T and Verizon’s 3G) and the Tabs’ inclusion of Adobe Flash 10.2. Both tablets will also offer ReadersHub and MusicHub, obvious attempts to draw iBook and iTunes users.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is available June 8 while the Galaxy Tab 8.9 (priced at $469 and $569 for 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi) is set for sometime this summer.
Prior to the official unveiling, some had suggested Samsung might lower the Galaxy Tab to $399, undercutting the iPad 2 pricing structure. Samsung’s VP earlier this month was quoted saying some parts of the Galaxy Tab were “inadequate” when compared to the iPad 2. Despite such talk, the tablet and handset maker seems to have joined the camp guessing the best way to compete with Apple’s tablet is to mimic the features. Unknown is whether simple feature equality will be enough to overcome Apple’s ephemeral connection with consumers.
Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.
38 responses to “Samsung Unveils Galaxy Tabs 8.9 and 10.1 with iPad-Like Pricing”
You forgot to mention weight. The Galaxy Tab 8.9 weights less too at only 1.03 pounds.
Galaxy Tab 10.1 weight 1.3 pounds
Also, all Galaxy Tab has Enterprise solutions ready softwares (SAP, Cisco, Exchange, VPN and Quick Office) plus built-in low level hardware encryption for both internal and external memory.
I was previously an iPad 1 user when the Xoom came out, and then bought the iPad 2 instead because it was going to be a more refined experience since it was the second version. I am going to have to disagree with you on one part. I think Apple was trying to catch up with other players since other manufacturers had the dual camera and dual-core processors, so since these manufacturers had these products with these features first, I think Apple with the iPad 2 is the one mimicing the features. The iPad 2 was just their attempt to catch up with the other tablets announced that had those features planned or already in place in the case of the xoom. Apple was just playing catch-up.
When you cannot innovate… replicate!
Have to disagree with you on that one. If you’ve been watching the way Apple works, the features that the iPad 2 carries were always on the table, they just wanted to get the ball rolling with the first Pad. Everyone else is playing catch up because they were never going in the tablet/pad market. All the other players were dumbing down the public by thinking that we were happy with that nonsense netbooks. Now look out, here comes the iPad and they’ve been scrabbling ever since. Now here’s something to twist your brain, the iPad 3 comes out at the end of the summer…and what do you think Apple will bring to the table this time? All these other players have had a year to figure this tablet thing out and they are still coming up short compared to Apple. It’s safe to say that Apple will be ahead of the curve for awhile on this one.
Apple had planned years ago to have FaceTime in the iPad. Theynheld off on version 1 to save something for the future release. Apple is the risk taker here, and they are reaping the rewards. Nobody thought these tablets would work after years of failures, but apple made it work by simplifying things, making a great touchscreen os, good form factor, and on demand 3G. The on demand 3G is the real killer feature that nobody mentions.
Everybody else waited to see if apple could pull it off, and now that they have they are trying to squeeze their way into the market. Unfortunately consumers are now viewing these offerings as knockoff iPads. Blackberry is smart in that they are offering their tablet as a business solution. Smart move on their part. Copying the iPad directly doesn’t come off well, especially with the half baked knockoff os involved. Played with a xoom and that is a bad, incomplete os.
Apple was years ahead of everyone on this, and created a new market. Give props where they are due.
I see the screen is wide enough for 720p movies.
Makes me wonder how much of a profit Samsung will make on these things now that they are trying to be competitive…
When in doubt, copy Apple I guess…
Bwahahaha… iPad anything is not catching up, thats utterly idiotic.
BTW: I doubt you have ever owned an iPad… otherwise you would know better.
When I heard about these, I thought they would be smart enough to have great data plans to entice people to switch
Then, I see the same if not worse data plans and shake my head at the morons running these tablets
Yes, I know the ISP’s set the prices but the tablet makers CAN have influence on them for the product
Other differences include a 10 hour battery life for the iPad, a gyroscope, a much better graphics chip…
shiet i need atleast 120gb for tablet
if you look beyond the hardware differences,which system offers the best dedicated Tablet apps?
You’re on the right path, except for timing on iPad3. It’s not hardware in the fall it’s software… IMHO. Watch and see. The idea of a Fall intro of iPAD3 was a speculation, and a logical supposition, by John Gruber… everyone has jumped on this as fact and the rest is media hype. John, himself, warned others on this point.
What is strange in the Samsung new offerings, is two sizes that are so close in dimension. This makes no sense to me in the economies of productions, inventory, marketing, sales and distribution… it creates a nightmare of work, for what gain? Sounds like they are testing the marketplace…but why? The 7″ has some merit because Kindle, Nook and RIM have all competitive offerings in that size … a bit easier to carry in a pocket. 8.9 vs 10.1 equals different resolutions, and unless they have the same PPI density, they are asking for software compatibility troubles. IMHO
Yes, the dual core CPU was next, But none of the competitors have copied the Graphics side of the chip. That has caused Xoom to shut down factory orders (by zero in June ’11) and back to re-design. Thin caught Galaxy by surprise, they went back to re-design. At the last show, they were showing concept. Still vaporware … had no working samples.
Cameras on iPad2 are for video only … FaceTime usage. If you want high quality stills use something else. Multitasking a la Apple was built into iPAD, and implemented in iOS4 + As far as mimicing… the ipad(s) design cycle is not a knee jerk reaction when producing millions by the month. The cameras were planned for before you ever saw iPad original. Disagree all you want. Opinion doesn’t make for fact. Do you really think that Apple is nervous about Xoom? Apple is building an interactive culture, not just a product. Apple is a whole world, not just a house, a town, a city, a state, a country. They want the whole world to be in harmony. It is the harmony and intuitive EZ that drives Apple. They are not perfect, but HP is trying to follow their lead. MS is struggling especially in the mobile world. They have found a winner yet.
do they really … 80% of enterprise is testing iPAD … There is nothing from Galaxy to test yet. Aren’t specs wonderful. When they are tested and work, then we’ll talk again.
Yes, yes, yes, but what I am generally trying to say is that BEFORE, the others were catching up to the ipad. NOW, the others (Motorola, HP, RIM in this case Xoom) have already caught up with ipad and surpassed it in some ways, and the iPad 2 was Apples answer to that, so in that sense, Apple was catching up to the others. Kind of like the way when the Nexus One came out with a 1 Ghz processor, then Apple released the iPhone 4 with a 1 Ghz processor. Also, Android has had wallpaper support since forever, and by popular demand, Apple introduced wallpaper support. This is also true with Wifi Hotspot and USB tethering. Android had them way before iOS, and Apple to catch up, added these features. I believe that they are internally using the Android gesture based lock mechanism. Another thing, P.S. How do you know Apple had the iPad 2 in mind before iPad 1? You just think Apple did. Put it this way. Before Android, Apple only updated the iPhone in a minimal manner. After the Droid and Nexus One came out, Apple dramatically updated the iPhone and as a result, the iPhone 4. It is similar with the iPad. Another thing (off topic), when original Galaxy Tab released, Apple criticized the use of a smartphone OS on a tablet, but I realized the iPad also does and still uses a smartphone OS. Another thing, you can not use apps to compare these platforms since it will not be an apples to apples comparison (no pun intended), since Honeycomb is a brand new OS therefore also has bugs. The iPad 1 was not buggy even though it was a first generation product because it used a smartphone OS in which Apple has had plenty of time to refine. Even the iPad had a small number of apps optimized for it when it was announced. I still love Apple and will take an iPad over a Xoom anytime, as I do have an iPad.
By the way, there are very strong rumors that Apple is working on a 4 inch screen size for the next generation iPhone, just another way Apple is trying to catch up to the competition. Off topic, only advantage of iPhone over high end Android phones is the Retina Display. Duh, since the iPhone has a smaller screen, of course the pixel density will be greater. If the same iPhone 4 screen was blown up to 4 inches as other Androids, it will not be Retina. Therefore comparing the display is also not an apples to apples comparison. The reason why there is no 3.5 inch Android displays that are Retina is because the highest end Android phones have displays bigger than 3.5. There are only mid range Android phones with 3.5 inch screens therefore they won’t bother making the screen high end since itis after all a mid range phone. This coming from a current iPhone 3gs user, I can assure you this is not biased.
I just ordered an iPad2, because I don’t like the over-priced Xoom, but I hate iTunes with a passion. Now that I see these Tab’s, I’m thinking of cancelling my order. Fact is, iTunes sucks, and you all know it sucks. With my Android phone and tablet, (I have a rooted Color Nook), I can swap SD cards in and out, filling them up with movies and pictures and whatever, without having to sync anything or bow to the iTunes master. I can also surf web sites and actually view Flash video clips.
As for the size… I have to admit, I like the 7″ for reading books, but I prefer a bigger screen for magazines and web sites. I think 10.1 might be too big for propping up on a lunch counter or bar, but 8.9 might just be the ticket. I’ll be interested to see the difference.
Also, iOS is really old news at this point, don’t you think? No widgets. Widgets are cool. People like widgets. Apple is going to slowly lose market share because people will want freedom from iTunes, plain and simple. Apple will probably offer widgets in a few years, and better cameras to replace the horrific ones on the iPad2. And higher res displays. So you all can buy at least a few more iPads to get to what the Tabs look to be offering in a few months. Maybe they’ll even accept Flash, at some point. But they will never open its doors so you can drag and drop whatever you like onto your iPhone or iPad. And you will never have expandable storage. That’s just reality.