Samsung has taken direct aim at Apple’s iPad Air and iPad mini with the introduction of a new flagship line of super-slim tablets.
The Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and 10.5 are more portable than their predecessors and have super-bright screens, the South Korean technology giant said.
The move comes at a time when the tablet market is shrinking, prompting firms to target more niche markets such as professional customers and families. According to the market forecast from research firm International Data Corporation, growth in the tablet market is expected to slow significantly in 2014 — 19.4 per cent as opposed to the 51.6 per cent growth it saw in 2013.
Apple currently leads Samsung in the tablet world, the firm said. IPads accounted for 32.5 per cent of the world’s tablet shipments in the first quarter of 2014, while Samsung tablets captured 22.3 per cent of the market.
Hoping to gain ground, Samsung made a point of highlighting what it called “meaningful, groundbreaking features” in its tablets, particularly the screens, which the company said produce vivid colours and crisp images.
Other upgrades appeared to be aimed at families in which one tablet is used by many people. Their tablets’ new fingerprint scanner, Samsung noted, makes it easy to switch between multiple users in a household. The company also added more security features for children, including a full “kids’ mode” that allows parents to limit the time children spend looking at the screen; these features are similar to those baked into Amazon.com’s Kindle Fire. (Amazon.com CEO Jeffrey Bezos owns The Washington Post)
Enterprise line
Still, Samsung is particularly challenging its main competitor, Apple, with these devices. It touted the new line as “enterprise” tablets, clearly looking to move into the market Apple has built in the professional world. The firm also quickly noted that the tablets will be able to run two windows at once — a feature that was rumoured to be in the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system but was not included after all.
The tablets are available for pre-order starting on Friday. The smaller of the two tablets will start at $399.99, while the larger will go for $499.99. Several retailers will carry the devices, including Best Buy and Sears, which has already put up a deal that shaves up to $105 off the retail price.
— Washington Post
