In what could only be called a baffling move, Samsung today announced the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0). Through a press release, oddly titled ‘Samsung’s new GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) offers optimal multimedia experiences in life‘, Samsung said that the new addition to the Galaxy Tab series would launch in March starting in the UK, then spread globally to other markets. Pricing was not confirmed, but I expect the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) to start around $450 for a WiFi-only model while US carriers may offer them for around $300. While the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0.) is the first to bring the much lauded Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to Samsung’s 7″ form-factor, it also makes some rather strange omissions which make this feel more like a prequel than a sequel.
Recall that Samsung started their tablet series with the original Galaxy Tab 7. From there they went on to launch the Galaxy Tab 8.9, Tab 10.1, Tab 7.7 and eventually the Tab 7 Plus, which brought the 7″ tablet back up to par with a dual-core processor. If it wasn’t confusing enough already if Samsung wanted the Tab 7.7 or the Tab 7 Plus to be the successor to the original Galaxy Tab 7, things just got even more convoluted with the announcement of the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0). Let’s have a look at the specs and see how it compares to the Tab 7 Plus:
Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) Specs
|
Network |
HSPA? 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100 |
|---|---|
|
Processor |
1 GHz Dual-Core Processor |
|
Display |
7” WSVGA(1024×600) PLS TFT |
|
OS |
Android 4.0(Ice Cream Sandwich) |
|
Camera |
Main(Rear): 3 Megapixel Fixed Focus CameraSub(Front): VGA for Video Call |
|
Video |
Codec: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, VC-1, DivX, WMV7, WMV8, VP8Format: 3GP, ASF, AVI, MP4, WMV, FLV, MKV, WebMPlayback/ Recording: Full HD@30fps, HD@30fps |
|
Audio |
Codec: MP3, AAC, AC-3, AMR, FLAC, MID, WMA, WAV, VorbisMusic Player with SoundAlive3.5mm Ear Jack |
|
Value-added Features |
Samsung TouchWiz/ Samsung L!ve Panel UX |
|
Samsung Apps |
|
| Samsung Kies / Samsung Kies air | |
|
Samsung Hub – Readers Hub/ Music Hub/ Game Hub/ Video Hub |
|
|
Samsung Hub Widget – Music Hub/ Game Hub/ Video Hub |
|
| Samsung S Suggest (App recommendation service) | |
|
Samsung ChatON mobile communication service |
|
| AllShare Play | |
| GoogleTM Mobile Services- Android Market™, Gmail™, Google Earth™, YouTube™, Google Maps™, Syncing with Google Calendar™ | |
| Polaris | |
| A-GPS, Glonass | |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth® technology v 3.0USB 2.0 HostWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct |
|
Sensor |
Accelerometer, Digital compass, Light Proximity(? Available on 3G version only) |
|
Memory |
8/16/32GB User memory ? 1GB (RAM) microSD (up to 32GB) |
|
Dimension |
193.7 x 122.4 x 10.5 mm, 344g |
|
Battery |
Standard battery, Li-ion 4,000mAh |
Also note that the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) can make phone calls (just like the Galaxy Tab 7 Plus). The press release offers an odd justification for this functionality: “With the voice call capability, the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) can be used just as easily as a phone, affording users the handy convenience of a second device in case they misplace their primary phone.”
What’s Missing?
As mentioned, the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) is pretty much the same as the Galaxy Tab 7 Plus, except the Tab 2 has Ice Cream Sandwich. I call this announcement an odd move from Samsung because it seems as though they will be updating the Galaxy Tab 7 Plus with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich anyway. Once this happens, the Tab 7 Plus will actually have more features than the Tab 2 (7.0). Here are the (current) differences between the two:
Yes, you’re reading that right: the Galaxy Tab 2 has a slower processor, a lower resolution front camera, no flash, no IR blaster, and is thicker (same battery capacity just in case you were wondering). How exactly Samsung arrived at the conclusion that the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) should be considered the successor to the original Tab 7, while concluding that the Tab 7 Plus was somehow unworthy of the title, is beyond me.
In all fairness, the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) does has a few tricks up it’s sleeve that the Galaxy Tab 7 Plus doesn’t have, but these are all software based and can be ported over when the Tab 7 Plus receives the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade.
Unless the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) is going to sell for significantly less than the Tab 7 Plus (and I don’t think it will), then I really don’t quite understand what Samsung hopes to gain with this launch.
