A couple of new Samsung tablets, the Galaxy Tab A 8″ and Galaxy Tab A 9.7″, were released over in Russia recently and while they likely won’t make their way here, they may give us an indication as to where Samsung is heading with their tablet line. First lets check out the specs:
Galaxy Tab A 8″
- 8″ 1024×768 Resolution Display
- 1.2GHz Quad Core Processor
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB Internal Storage
- microSD Card Slot
- 5MP Camera
- 2MP Front Facing Camera
- 4200 mAh Battery
- Android 5.0 with TouchWiz
Galaxy Tab A 9.7″
- 8″ 1024×768 Resolution Display
- 1.2GHz Quad Core Processor
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB Internal Storage
- microSD Card Slot
- 5MP Camera
- 2MP Front Facing Camera
- 6000 mAh Battery
- Built In Wireless Charging
- Android 5.0 with TouchWiz
While the specs are pretty run of the mill for a mid-range tablet, the design is anything but ordinary for a Samsung Tablet. First off, Samsung has opted to go with the increasingly popular 4:3 screen ratio for these new tablets. The Nexus 9 really popularized this screen ratio for Android tablets and Apple has always utilized this squarish form factor. It seems like other manufacturers are now ready to give it a go. The second major change we see with the new Tab A series is the choice of build material. Samsung has historically opted to utilize plastic for their tablets in order to keep weight down but the new Tab As sport metal frames. The plastic over metal choice has consistently been the thorn in Samsung’s side and it looks like they’re finally changing things up as we’ve seen metal on the Note 4, Alpha, and S6 already. The last pleasant design change to note with the Tab As are the inclusion of built-in wireless charging. Samsung has supported wireless charging in past devices but users were always required to buy specialized back plates in order to take advantage of the handy charging system. It’s nice to see that they’re building it into their products now.
Again, I don’t imagine that these tablets will ever make their way to us but they’re likely a strong indication as to what Samsung has planned for future products. Although the best screen ratio is still up for debate, the majority will more then welcome the new metal bodies and built-in wireless charging that we’re likely to see in future Tabs.