Samsung announced that they’re selling 2 million Galaxy S Android phones on all four major networks. They’re going with the same strategy on Tabs.
It is hard to argue with Samsung’s strategy of making their phones available across all carriers. They announced that they are about to cross the 2 million Galaxy S phone mark in just over two months of sales in the U.S. They expect to have sold five million by the end of they year in the U.S. alone and more than 10 million globally. That’s a lot of Android handsets.
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So it makes sense that Samsung would adopt that same strategy with Tabs. Will Tabs do as well?
Samsung was stingy with pricing information. Tabs won’t sell for $1,000, unsubsidized. If they can get them below the larger iPad prices, they should sell well. And why wouldn’t Samsung be able to? They make a lot of the expensive iPad parts – processor, DRAM and Flash.
It is important to note that the Tab isn’t an iPad. Using a Tab is much closer to using a large Android phone than it is to using a 10 inch iPad. But the experience is much better than using an Android phone. The extra screen makes video clearer, typing is much easier and quicker, and the navigation is much easier as well.
Samsung has re-imagined some of the Android apps for the tablet screen, making them look a lot more like iPad apps. CSO Omar Khan told me that this tailoring negates a lot of what Hugo Barra said in regards to Froyo/apps not being ready for Tablets.
If I had to guess, I’d say that carriers would sell these for $300-$400 with a two-year commitment. Amazon and other discounters will offer them for a few hundred less within weeks of selling them.
I’m interested in the Wi-Fi version which they would not give a price or date for. I figure that most people buying this tablet also have a phone with a data plan, and Wi-Fi would be a better solution for them.
