We just returned from the Q&A session after the Samsung Galaxy Tab unveiling, and most of the event was fairly straightforward: a lot depends on the carriers, the European launch is set for "Early October," with more coming before the end of the year, a "major U.S. carrier" is picking up the Galaxy Tab (yeah: we're assuming Verizon, too), and the Tab beats out the iPad in certain areas like portability and the ability to make voice calls.
What was interesting was what happened when future plans popped up. Samsung Mobile's President, JK Shin, got a little feisty and let drop that the Galaxy Tab would definitely be getting the Android 3.0 Gingerbread update. He also went further and said that Samsung would be releasing devices based on the Tablet-friendly "Honeycomb" version of Android next year and that Samsung would have a "full tablet portfolio" in 2011.
Given that Samsung said it was perhaps even more bullish than some analyst numbers that suggested the tablet market in 2011 would top 30 million devices, it looks like they intend on selling a bootload.
16 Comments
I just came from visiting the Galaxy Tab's official website... And it felt... amateurish:
- computer-generated people awkwardly walking and moving, holding a CG Tab
- glaring mistakes, such as "SNS" instead of "SMS"
- weird Engrish such as "do you have to contact with the colleague for urgent work during the cosy time?"
Combine that with carrier lock-in, and I'm having doubts...
Can't explain the other stuff but "SNS" is referring to "Social Networking Service"
All Your Pad Are Belong To Us!
this made me LOL super hard hahaha
SNS is not a typo. Samsung abbreviated social networking to sns.
If there isn't a wifi-only version I'm gonna cry
I agree, the lack of a WIFI only version is going to push some people away, but I must say it looks slick. Perfect size and weight for portability. The camera could use a boost but I'm guessing they want to keep the price reasonable.
All depends on price. If you can buy an unlocked version for a price you are happy with then it does not matter that there is no wifi only version (and who knows, being able to throw your mobile sim in it if something goes wrong with your phone could be a life saver ;)). Price as always is the key.
I agree. And I was planning on doing exactly that, since my phones on voda anyways.
The thing with carrier support is that a new contract means they can offer some impressive incentives for people to buy it. Until we see the price point off contract its too early to speculate, but I bet ya they'll sure as hell make it worth your while to buy with a contract. Especially since this can go to multiple carriers, you can be sure they'll be competing for your business.
I'll happily take a new contract if it halves my purchase cost for ten bucks a month for data. Fine by me.
I bet they hope that they sell a boatload rather than a bootload!
lol
Could be a big boot. Fifi Hotspot has some big feet.
Interesting
I like the fact that the President said that they're going to get 3.0 Gingerbread in the future. It has some US 3G radios in it in terms of GSM, so I think I may have a winner here.
Tablet friendly Honeycomb ;) ... somewhat undermines the naysayers who claim that Google will not support tablets properly.
ill wait for tablets to mature a little bit. i already have a tablet pc, so i dont really see the need for just a tablet just yet.