Samsung Galaxy tablets: Go big or go home
Samsung is betting that bigger is better. Leaked images and information reportedly show the new lineup of Samsung Galaxy tablets will feature larger-than-average screens with updated features, such as a fingerprint scanner.
Vice President Samsung Telecommunications America Nanda Ramachandran introduces tablets during a news conference at the International Consumer Electronics Show, Monday, Jan. 6, 2014, in Las Vegas. Samsung is reportedly releasing a new line of tablets with extra-large screens.
Isaac Brekken/AP Photo
While Microsoft is reportedly downsizing its Surface tablet later this month, it appears Samsung is ready to supersize its tablet offerings.
Several tech blogs are reporting that Samsung’s next tablet offerings, will feature screens ranging well over 10 inches with extra color-rich screens, marking a return to OLED screens for the first time since the Galaxy Tab 7.7. These features, in addition to reported fingerprint scanning technology, are shaping up to be an impressive addition to Samsung’s growing array of tablet offerings.
Would you buy a tablet as big as a laptop? Based on the first of its rumored tablets, reportedly nicknamed “The Warhol,” Samsung is betting you will. According to tech blog GSM Arena, The Warhol’s screen will measure in at a whopping 13.3 inches and feature a 2560 x 1600 LCD display. It will also likely come in a Wi-Fi and 3G/4G model. This screen is even larger than the Galaxy Note Pro and Galaxy Tab Pro, which were just released at CES 2014 in January, and each featured a 12.2-inch screen. However, this is a preliminary report and Samsung may switch up its decision to push for larger tablets as it sees how its other larger models do.
Aside from the 13.3-inch Warhol, tech blog SamMobile acquired photos of another large Galaxy tablet. This tablet, dubbed the Galaxy Tab 10.5, features a 10.5-inch screen, 2,560 x 1,600 AMOLED panel, and a bottom-middle button that will likely house the rumored fingerprint scanning technology. The fingerprint scanner, which made it into mainstream mobile devices before with Apple's iPhone 5S, is also expected to debut on the iPad and iPad Mini soon. Screen-wise, this is the first hint of an OLED screen since the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, which came out in 2011. This screen is also featured on Samsung smart phones.
SamMobile also reports that Samsung will release an 8.4-inch version of the Galaxy Tab 10.5, more in line with the average size of tablets today.
All tablets will likely run on Android 4.4 KitKat. Other tech blogs are reporting that the tablets will feature 8 megapixel main cameras with 2 megapixel front-facing cameras.