Is the Samsung Galaxy Tab the Next iPad Killer?
This article was originally posted on Dromble.com.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is coming out soon and there’s a lot of speculation that it will directly compete with the Apple iPad. This is a decent competition seeing as Android and iOS are pretty close in popularity these days. The bigger question is if the new Samsung Galaxy Tab will be a worthy competitor and if it will take any sales away from the iPad this holiday season.
On the Apple side, the iPad has sold a lot and continues to sell fairly well. This holiday season Apple is planning on expanding the retail locations where you can purchase an iPad at all BestBuy locations. I believe Apple knows that there are going to be big competitors in the tablet market coming up and they need to be ready for this rise in competition. Now, not only will the Samsung Galaxy Tab become a big competitor against the iPad but there is already competition for the iPad such as the Dell Streak. E-readers are also on the rise in this economy seeing as they’re inexpensive (compared to tablets) and are gaining in popularity because of the increase of publications becoming digital.
The Samsung Galaxy Tablet has a lot going for itself compared to the iPad. Most noticeable is the thinness of the device. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is smaller and lighter. It also boasts twice the RAM as the iPad, same processor, and expands to 32GB’s of expandable storage via an external card. The iPad on the other hand is hefty (but in its defense feels like a quality device), has a set amount of RAM, and is not expandable in storage. The Samsung Galaxy Tab has not only 1 camera, but two. One camera is on the front of the device (1.3-megapixel) of the Samsung Tab, and one camera is on the back (3.2-megapixel). The iPad on the other hand has no camera as of the 1st generation.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab will be running Google’s Android 2.2 operating system which means multitasking, Adobe Flash support, and full access to applications with no restrictions will be available to the end-user. Apple’s iPad has iOS working in its favor but there is no multitasking, no Adobe Flash support, and Apple is notorious for restricting apps into their app store.
Now, this isn’t a poke at the iPad at all. This is just a comparison on what the new Samsung Galaxy Tab has to offer and how it compares to the roughly 6 month old Apple iPad. Features, operating system, hardware, and cost all play a factor in what a consumer wants in a tablet. As of now, there seems to be no non-radio version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab that lets a consumer purchase unsubsidized at a fair price. As far as the iPad, you can buy a wifi-only model and/or a model with a 3G radio inside on contract with At&t. A new iPad may be on its way sometime soon and Apple may be taking notes at this very moment to conjure up a better iPad for their second iteration of the device. Only time will tell which tablet takes the prize. Tell me what you think. Leave a comment below.
Josh H