The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 has made its official touchdown to the retail markets in South Korea, the US, Hong Kong, and in some other countries starting early this month. Based on the initial feedbacks and reviews of consumers and gadget experts, it looks like the Korean tech giant has nailed an excellent tablet.
Right off the store shelves, the slim build and comely exterior appearance of Samsung’s latest tablet already look impressive. It is clear that when Samsung said that it is positioning its Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 to compete head-on with the iPad Air 2, it really means business and it looks like Apple now has a very worthy competitor in the segment, notes Tech Radar.
When Apple released the iPad Air 2 in October last year, the American tech giant has actually set the standard in today’s new breed of tablets and it seems that Samsung has made it more exciting with the release of the Galaxy Tab S2.
In terms of aspect ratio, the new tablet from Samsung has gone 4:3, which is the same specification for the iPad Air 2 and also for the Microsoft Surface 3. Its 9.7-inch display screen is also identical to the iPad Air 2. Samsung has also released an 8-inch version of the Galaxy Tab S2, which will rival the iPad mini 3.
Going head-to-head for at least a year
If reports are true that Apple will not be releasing an update to its iPad Air 2 in October this year, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 and the iPad Air 2 will be battling it out in the market for at least one year or until such time that anyone from the two tech giants releases the next iteration to their respective flagship tablets.
It is likely that Samsung will release an update to its Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 after the tablet completes its one-year market cycle by August next year. Apple, on the other hand, seems quite confident that its iPad Air 2 can take on any competition that will be thrown at it since it was launched in October last year and even up to next year, which made the company decide not to release a new iteration to its current flagship tablet.
The iPad Pro, which Apple is rumored to be launching in October, will be on a different level of the tablet market as it intends to go head-to-head with the up and coming Microsoft Surface Pro 4.
There are already reports that Samsung is now working on a giant tablet which it intends to call as Galaxy Tab S Pro, which is obviously meant to do battle with the Apple iPad Pro and the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.
A tough choice
The 9.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 made it to the retail markets with an introductory retail price of $685 while its 8-inch variant is now being retailed for $513, making it pricier than the iPad Air 2, and the iPad mini 3, which are currently pegged at $499 and $399, respectively.
This means that Samsung is making its latest tablets a tough choice for consumers cost-wise considering that sales of tablets worldwide have been on a decline as of late.
But the latest Samsung tablet’s premium advantage over the thin Apple iPad Air 2 is that it’s actually thinner at only 5.4 millimeters. The iPad Air 2 is 6.1 millimeters slim.
The Korean tech giant also modified the device fingerprint scanner to make it better and more accurate and the device has now more power under the hood.
The refinements will enhance the user reading and web browsing experience using the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2. It will also become an ideal device for gaming but not as a gadget to expect the best video playback experience.
I just bought the tab s for $399.00 on clearance, should I keep it or return it and wait for the new one to come out? They seem like they are the same but cost about a lot more money?
Probably a good idea to keep it. The new one is terrible for watching videos and has nearly the same processor as yours (it has the exact same processor as the Note 4). Also, Samsung is not good at updating their tablets so this new one won’t be much better than the one you have. It basically has all the same internal hardware except in a body with a 4:3 aspect ratio. If web browsing and reading and gaming are the only things you do and want it optimized for that then trade but if watching movies and youtube are really important keep what you got.