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Samsung continued its un-Apple-like strategy of offering something for everyone with the June 3 introduction of two more Galaxy Tab 3 tablets.
Joining the 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 are 8- and 10.1-inch models that will be “available globally beginning of June,” Samsung said in a statement.
Continuing the emotional approach it takes with its Galaxy smartphones, Samsung says the new tablets offer customers “various ways to view, listen, create and share meaningful events and special content with those who matter most.”
The 8-inch Tab 3 is designed for easy one-hand use, according to Samsung. It measures 8.26 by 4.87 by 0.29 inches and weighs 0.69 pounds. For context, the WiFi version of the Apple iPad Mini, which features a 7.9-inch display, measures 7.87 by 5.3 by 0.28 inches and weighs 0.68 pounds.
It’s optimized to customize the brightness of its screen and offer a “comfortable paperlike readability” when used with ebooks, features Samsung Sound Alive technology with Dolby Surround for Video Play to “maximize every sound” and features physical keys on the bezel for an easy navigating experience.
Samsung’s S Translator is also included, for instant translation through voice recognition and in texts and emails, and so are S Travel and Smart Travel apps, Story Album and Group Play, which enables other Samsung Galaxy users to simultaneously play the same song or share photos, games or other documents.
It runs Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean), has a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel camera up front, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, the option of Long Term Evolution (LTE) and 3G connectivity, AGPS, Bluetooth and a USB 2.0 port, and a 1,280-by-800 resolution display for 189 pixels per inch. It comes in 16GB or 32GB options, with a expandable memory supporting up to 64GB.
The 10.1-inch Tab 3 is built to be “the leading 10-inch tablet on the market,” says Samsung.
It measures 9.57 by 6.93 by 0.31 inches, weighs 1.12 pounds, and runs Android 4.2 and a 1.6GHz dual-core processor. The connectivity options are the same, as is the memory and the front camera, though the rear camera is just 3 megapixels.
The focus of the larger Tab is on media consumption. It features Smart Remote technology, so it can be used as a universal remote, and TV Out capabilities.
Samsung introduced its first Galaxy Tab 3 April 4. That device runs Android 4.1 and a 1.2GHz processor, has a thinner bezel than the Galaxy Tab 2, and comes with 8GB or 16GB options of internal storage, plus expandable memory up to 64GB.
During the first quarter of 2013, tablet shipments continued their surge, growing 142 percent year over year. Samsung’s year-over-year growth was 283 percent, with shipments rising from 2.3 million units during the first quarter of 2012 to 8.8 million units, according to IDC.
IDC attributed the market’s growth to the performances by Apple and Samsung, adding that Samsung has used its smartphone growth to “bring its tablet product line into new markets and channels, leveraging the opportunity to package and bundle.”