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A recent report claims that Samsung will release a new Galaxy Tab A tablet. The report did not provide extensive details about the specifications of the upcoming device, although it stated that tablet, which has the model number SM-P205, will likely have 32GB of internal flash storage as the base option. However, it is likely that the device will be available with higher storage configurations. Furthermore, the product will reportedly ship with firmware version P205DXU0ARL4, and Samsung is expected to sell black and gray color variants of the device. The recent report also claims that Samsung will launch the new tablet in the first quarter of 2019, and the South Korean tech giant could potentially unveil the device during the Mobile World Congress 2019 event scheduled this February.
Background: Samsung releases several tablets each year ranging from budget models to more expensive offerings. The South Korean tech giant markets its more premium tablet offerings as part of the Galaxy Tab S lineup, while the mid-range offerings fall under the tech giant’s Galaxy Tab A lineup. Within the past few months, Samsung released Galaxy Tab A devices with 7.0-inch and 10.5-inch displays, and it is likely that the upcoming tablet will have screen sizes similar to either one of the two products. Meanwhile, another possible Galaxy Tab A tablet, which has a model number SM-T387W, has already passed the certification process of the Federal Communications Commission, and it features support for a number of WCDMA and LTE bands.
Based on the precedent set by previous Galaxy Tab A devices, it is likely that the rumored device will sport a mid-range chipset. For example, the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 (2018), which Samsung launched back in August, features a Snapdragon 450 chipset. This SoC includes an octa-core ARM Cortex A53 CPU running at a maximum clock speed of up to 1.8GHz and the Adreno 506 GPU. To further reduce the production costs of its devices, the Galaxy Tab A lineup often utilizes LCD displays rather than the AMOLED panels found in the company’s more expensive tablet and smartphone offerings, and like previous Galaxy Tab A tablets, the upcoming device could potentially sport a 16:10 aspect ratio display.
It is also expected that the device will run Samsung’s proprietary software skin on top of Google’s operating system, and the tablet will likely feature the same software functionalities present in other Galaxy Tab A devices. These software features include support for SmartThings, a service that allows users to control their smart home devices from their tablet, and Samsung Kids, a paid service that helps parents and guardians to limit the content that their children can view on their tablets. Another software feature that is present in the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 (2018) that may also come with the upcoming tablet offering is the Multi-User Mode. This feature enables families to create and sign-in multiple accounts, with each account containing their own apps, customization, and storage.
Impact: Despite the prediction that tablet sales will continue to fall, Samsung continues to produce tablets that cater to markets that need them. This strategy likely allows Samsung to keep its position as the top device maker in the Android tablet market. Given the mid-range nature of the Galaxy Tab A, the price of this device will likely not exceed $400.