Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 officially announced: 4:3 SAMOLED, 5.6mm thin, on sale this August

When Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and 10.5 last year, it drew quite a large amount of attention thanks in no small part to its beautiful Super AMOLED display, the largest ever produced by the company for a commercial product. The tablet brought with it many of the creature comforts from the Galaxy S5, including design cues, a swipe-based fingerprint reader for biometric security, and the latest TouchWiz features (at the time).

Thanks to a steady stream of leaks, we’ve technically known about the follow-up, the Galaxy Tab S2, for some time now. The past few weeks saw the stream of news turn into a tidal wave, and indeed the announcement rumor proved to be spot-on. Samsung has just officially announced the new installments in its premium tablet lineup.

The Galaxy Tab S2 comes in an 8-inch, and 9.7-inch variant, both of which employ a 4:3 aspect ratio 2048×1536 SAMOLED display, and will be available in LTE and Wi-Fi-only configurations. It features an Exynos 5433 Octa-core SoC, 3GB of RAM, 32 or 64GB of on-board storage, and an 8-megapixel rear, 2.1-megapixel front camera set-up (no flash, sorry). It will ship with Android 5.0.2 and features the same “touch-based” fingerprint sensor used in the Galaxy S6 and has support for microSD.

The 9.7-inch variant will include a 5,870mAh battery, and the 8-inch variant a 4,000mAh power-cell. Both devices will be available in either black or white, measure just 5.6mm thick and employ an aluminum frame, but soft-plastic rear panel. The smaller Tab S2 will, in LTE-configuration, include an earpiece for voice calls, however this feature is typically removed from the US carrier-based models.

The Galaxy Tab S2 will begin to hit stores next month. While no exact details have been provided, based on previous tablet releases we expect the LTE variant to release some weeks after the Wi-Fi model. Samsung’s press release declined to mention the exact cost of the device, however SamMobile is quoting the European prices as follows, presumably for the base-level 32GB configuration.

Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 Wi-Fi: €399  ($432)
Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE: €469 ($508)
Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 Wi-Fi: €499 ($540)
Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE: €569 ($616)

[related_videos align=”center” type=”custom” videos=”396976,576611,393452,393454,393458″]

It will be of particular interest to see how this product fares in the crowded tablet market, especially amid reports of lackluster global sales and the general malaise that some consumers might feel towards them. While the Galaxy Tab S2 is definitely the most impressive tablet Samsung has yet produced in terms of its slim profile and fantastic screen, there are a few curious elements as well that may play a part in determining just how strong the sales will be:

The lack of a rear-camera flash module is perplexing given how even last year’s Tab S models featured one. The decision to go with the Galaxy Note 4‘s Exynos 5433 processor instead of the new 7420 SoC from the Galaxy S6 is another issue, though largely one the general public will not be aware of. The use of a plastic back means that the product will still be viewed as having a lower build quality than all-metal competitors, and the 4:3 aspect ratio screen is going to be a problem for those who are keen on widescreen.

With that said, anyone looking for a new tablet will definitely want to consider picking up the Tab S2 when it hits stores next month. Those hoping for a more affordable option immediately avaliable might want to consider the Galaxy Tab A. Leave us a comment below with your thoughts, as well as the size and configuration you will be picking up, if any.

[press]

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Tab S2, the Essential Tablet for Experiencing Digital Content

July 20, 2015Galaxy Tab S2 , GALAXY Tab , Tablet , Tab S2 , Tab

SEOUL, South Korea – July 20, 2015 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., today announced the global launch of the Galaxy Tab S2, the most immersive Samsung tablet to-date. Samsung’s newest Galaxy tablet continuously delivers a stunning Super AMOLED display perfectly optimized for reading and viewing any type of digital content. The Galaxy Tab S2 is stylishly designed with the thinnest and lightest metal frame of its size on the market and packs powerful performance features to offer enhanced usability, empowering users with new and improved choices in productivity and multitasking.

“The Galaxy Tab S2 is not only our thinnest and lightest tablet of its size ever, it also gives users quick, easy access to a wealth of superior viewing and productivity features,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division at Samsung Electronics. “We believe the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is the most complete personal visual device designed for consumers to carry and use anywhere.”

Newly Optimized Super AMOLED Display for the Best Content Viewing

At just 5.6mm thin and only 389g (9.7 -inch) and 265g (8.0 -inch) weight*, the Galaxy Tab S2 is perfectly designed for reading and consuming content due to its stunning Super AMOLED Display. By recreating the same viewing experience of browsing through traditional print media, the Galaxy Tab S2 also makes it comfortable to read digital content, including e-books, magazines, webpages and newsfeeds. This reading-optimized ratio allows the user to enjoy a seamless reading experience without unnecessary scrolling.

The tablet also presents deeper contrast and more precise detail to provide a best-in-class reading experience with the Super AMOLED display delivering 94% of natural tones to show true-to-life colors (Adobe RGB color standard). Users can now enjoy galleries of vividly detailed photos and effortlessly shop online while viewing the most accurate images on the Galaxy Tab S2.

In addition, the Galaxy Tab S2 continually offers its advanced screen technology to display bright and natural content for a more comfortable visual experience. Adaptive Displayintelligently adjusts gamma, saturation, and sharpness based on the application, the color temperature of the viewing environment and ambient lighting. Also, Reading Mode modifies the screen’s brightness level to help users to read content for longer periods of time without straining their eyes.

Packaged within the world thinnest and lightest metal tablet frame of its size, the Galaxy Tab S2 is portable enough to easily carry around all day. Also, the fashionable and stylish design is suitable for any purpose or setting, so user can enjoy the best viewing experience anywhere, anytime.

Ultimate Productivity and Connectivity Features for Users On-The-Go

The Galaxy Tab S2 delivers unmatched mobility to cater to high-efficiency users seeking maximized productivity. The tablet comes fully equipped and preloaded with Microsoft Office Solutions** for ultimate productivity on the road, such as creating and editing documents, while conveniently storing up to 100GB of files on the cloud via OneDrive for two years for free. Also, it’s compatible with the advanced Book Cover Keyboard that delivers the same convenience of a standard PC keyboard with a built-in trackpad for executing tasks on-the-go.***

For enhanced manageability, the Galaxy Tab S2 is built with a touch-enabled Fingerprint Scanner for hassle-free authentication. A built-in advanced security sensor now offers easy access to the personal device with a simple press against the home key. For the most streamlined device management options, the Galaxy Tab S2 features Smart Manager which displays the device’s settings automatically, including battery power levels, storage and RAM availability for users to efficiently manage their devices. It is also pre-installed with anti-malware for an extra layer of protection.

In addition, the Galaxy Tab S2 offers Multitasking, allowing users to view and run two apps simultaneously. Also with Pop-Up Window, users can easily navigate between multiple apps at once. The Galaxy Tab S2 also provides an improved storage structure that makes locating files simpler than ever.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 will come in a variety of connectivity, storage and size options: 9.7-inch and 8.0-inch versions with Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi and LTE, available in 32 or 64GB with MicroSD up to 128GB. It will be available in global markets, starting from August, 2015.

Full details and product images are available at www.samsungmobilepress.com.

*Device weights are measured with Wi-Fi only version of Galaxy Tab S2 9.7-inch and 8.0-inch

**Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote will be provided, and may differ by the regions.

*** Accessories are not included in the Galaxy Tab S2 in-box items and can be purchased separately.

Galaxy Tab S2 9.7-inch Product Specifications

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies, redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. We are also leading in the Internet of Things space through, among others, our Smart Home and Digital Health initiatives. We employ 319,000 people across 84 countries with annual sales of US $196 billion. To discover more, please visit our official website at www.samsung.com and our official blog at global.samsungtomorrow.com

[/press]