Last week, shortly after the iPad 2 was announced, a Samsung executive said that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 had inadequate parts and that Apple set the bar rather high. Indeed, the iPad 2’s specs are impressive and gives every other tablet maker on the market a reason to sweat. The iPad 2, at just 8.8mm, is much thinner than all the other tablets on the market, and it manages to retain its impressive 10-hour battery life despite the reduction in size and weight.
The quote from Samsung caused many to speculate that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 would be delayed while the manufacturer upgrades the tablet’s “inadequate” parts. However, the manufacturer denied delaying the device and says that the Android tablet will be launched as planned.
There has been word, however, that the pricing for the tablet will be reconsidered given Apple’s attractive iPad 2 pricing. It’s definitely good news for consumers that the competition is driving prices downward as most new Android tablets seem overpriced. The Motorola Xoom, for example, had many Android fans who were looking for a decent iPad alternative pretty excited. But when pricing was announced, for both the subsidized and unsubsidized versions, many potential consumers felt deflated. At $599 and $799 for the subsidized and unsubsidized versions of the Xoom, respectively, it was a little too high in a market where consumers are used to seeing the iPad at $499 on the low end.
Despite the statement that spewed from Samsung, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 probably won’t be much of a slouch as a tablet. It will have a 10-inch screen compared to the 7-inch display on the first model, and it will be running Android Honeycomb, which was designed specifically for tablets. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will also have a much faster processor than its predecessor.
While the upgrades and new features on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 sound great, the iPad is just too good. Even Samsung couldn’t keep that sentiment under wraps.
[Via: Yonhap News]