In our previous episode of 24Bit, we had a very interesting discussion on tablets. The argument we all had was that tablets are dead and this could be the reason why we have not seen most companies unveiling tablets this year.
One thing we also agreed on was that tablets are still necessary despite their worldwide shipment still declining. In fact, IDC in a recent report says that tablet shipment declined
11.8% to 31.6 million in 1Q18 (5.1% below forecast). The forecast for the remainder of the year has been lowered 0.8%, resulting in an annual total of 152.0 million units (-7.2% annually) for 2018. Does this mean some brands will stop working on tablets? Nope. Let’s look at Samsung for example.
Samsung has just announced its new tablet, the Galaxy Tab SA. The new 2-in-1 Android tablet according to the company has been designed for people who want to do more on the go —from home to the office and everywhere in between.
Samsung has added a lot of interesting features on the Galaxy Tab SA. For example, the company is bringing Samsung DeX to the tablet for the first time. When connected to the optional Book Cover Keyboard (sold separately) or launched from the Quick Panel, the Galaxy Tab S4 powers on Samsung DeX, giving users the option to switch from the Android interface to a desktop experience. With Samsung DeX, you can open multiple desktop-style windows for your Android apps, including the Microsoft Office suite, directly on the Galaxy Tab S4, and re-size them when needed. Drag and drop content between apps and use keyboard shortcuts and commands for efficiency.
If more screen is needed, there is also an option to extend Samsung DeX to an external monitor with a compatible HDMI to USB-C multi-port adapter (not included). When connected, the Galaxy Tab S4 can serve as a track pad or a sketch pad, and new this year, the Galaxy Tab S4 can continue to work as a fully functional Android tablet, giving users two screens to accomplish tasks.
What about the specs?
The new Galaxy Tab SA is a flagship gadget from the company so you expect to get flagship specs. They include a 7,300 mAh battery with fast charging, a 4GB RAM among others. Below is a breakdown of the specs:
| DISPLAY | 10.5” WQXGA (2560×1600) sAMOLED |
| CHIPSET | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 Octa Core (2.35GHz + 1.9GHz) |
| LTE SUPPORT | LTE Cat.16 DLCA, 4X4 MIMO |
| MEMORY / STORAGE | 4GB + 64GB / 256GB, microSD up to 400GB4 |
| CAMERA | 13MP AF + 8.0MP, Flash |
| PORT | USB3.1 (Type C), POGO |
| SENSORS | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, RGB, Proximity, Iris Scanner, Hall Sensor |
| WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth® 5.0 |
| GPS | GPS + GLONASS, BEIDOU, GALILEO |
| DIMENSION, WEIGHT | 249.3 x 164.3 x 7.1mm
482g (Wi-Fi) / 483g (LTE) |
| BATTERY | 7,300mAh, Fast Charging |
| OS/UPGRADE | Android 8.1 |
| VIDEO | Recording: UHD 4K (3840×2160) @ 30fps
Playback: UHD 4K (3840×2160) @ 60fps |
| AUDIO | 4 speakers tuned by AKG, Dolby Atmos® |
Samsung has also included the S Pen in the box for free. Pre-orders for the Galaxy Tab S4 are now open on Samsung’s website with the tablet expected to go on sale on August 1o. About the pricing, The 64GB model costs $649.99, roughly around Kes.65,000 while the 256GB option goes for $749.99, about Kes.75,000. We might, however, wait until it lands here for us to confirm the price.
