Samsung May Beat Apple to Market with a Retina-Res Tablet in February 2012

[dgstorm]

This would be a remarkable coup, if it runs out to be true. A source within the industry indicates that Samsung may actually launch a Retina-resolution tablet in February of next year. This will be ahead of Apple's next iPad which was supposed to be the first tablet device with a Retina-display. The tablet that Samsung will supposedly introduce will have the following impressive specs:

• Android 4.0/Ice Cream Sandwich
• 11.6 Inch Display with a massive 2560 x 1600 resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio
• A dual-core Exynos 5250 CPU clocked at 2GHz - Which will be very competitive and slightly similar to the A6 CPU coming in the next iPad
• A special feature called "Android Beam" for easy syncing of media with a Galaxy Nexus
• Also a special wireless docking mode for gaming on HDTVs to help Samsung compete with Apple TV, AirPlay and others

The above pic is likely just an artist's render at this point, but the tablet is likely to be announced during Mobile World Congress, in February of next year. We will keep a watch on this one for more info or pics.

Source: BGR

 

[jseah]

If you look closely at the artist's rendering, it is a Samsung name label pasted on an iPad (the "button" has the signature Apple square).

I'm sure Apple will probably be happy to see that.

 

[J515OP]

Definitely an photoshopped iPad, not sure why they are even speculating it's "likely just an artist's render" since that implies the photo could be real. The image is taken right off of Apples site iPad Smart Cover - Leather - (PRODUCT) RED - Apple Store (U.S.).

Anyway, it isn't surprising to hear Samsung may beat Apple to market with a high definition display since Samsung makes displays and Apple has to buy them from people like Samsung. Actually Samsung makes the iPad RAM, memory and the processor (though it is specialized for Apple) and LG makes the screen.

 

[OffWorld]

I'm hoping they weren't trying to pass off that badly Photoshopped image as an "artist concept" given whomever did it clearly doesn't even know how to use Photoshop's perspective tools to properly distort the Samsung logo.

Android has had support for "xdpi" density for a while now, just nobody making any devices with WQXGA screens to take advantage of it. I would assume if this device is actually sold it will use a high density setting to "blow up" content the same way Apple does with the iPhone 4 - which makes mobile content fit better, but if it wasn't designed to accommodate a hi-res display rasterized content looks blurry. Of course, unlike iOS devices, Android users can change the screen density setting.

 

[Bootstrap Bill]

>Exynos 5250 CPU clocked at 2GHz
How does this compare with the Tegra 3 included in the Asus Transformer Prime?

 

[nateyj]

OK reading this review my first reaction was wow! fab! But then just looking down at my two tablets, one being the 1st iPad (over 2 years old now) and the other a brand new shiny Galaxy Tab 10.1 which was bought last week.

Which one out of the two gets picked up more often? well its the good old iPad. Why you might ask? well im not a conservative Apple fan. I actually own a few different brands of tablets and phones/computers. So im not one who goes an kneels before the shrine of Steve Jobs everytime I pop into an Apple store.

Hardware specific the Galaxy Tab is far superior to my 1st gen iPad but then again. I quite like Android v3 OS and its pretty nippy to say the least. My biggest gripe is the serious lack of Android apps which are available specific to devices such as the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Lots of my favourite apps on the iPad I use frequently just arent available on the Galaxy Tab including the BBC iPlayer, Dropbox, Blastr etc etc. While they exist in smartphone equivalents (they look awful when installed on my tablet!), Android has some serious catching upto do. Its not just about having hardware which is superior over another product. The key to a successful tablet is mostly down to its software and app availability and quality/user experience that they provide. Oh and I just found AVG anti-virus!! WTF? thats bad when you have to install anti-virus on your tablet!! never had to have done that before!! Also whats with mixing smartphone Apps alongside tablet Apps in the Marketplace? there is no way to filter between these and often you end up installing smartphone versions on your tablet. Its a very messy user experience. The Marketplace on Android needs a serious overhaul.

Apple definetely has the edge over Android in these areas providing a much more polished user experience and functionality/presentation with their Apps.

Another big gripe Im starting to get frustrated with my new Galaxy Tab is where it refuses to sync to both my PC and Mac using the Samsung Kies software. Thats a nightmare! It did sync first time out of the box and now it refuses to. Im a pretty techy savy person and able to resolve lots of hardware/software issues quite easily but this software is just rubbish. The device is able to mount as you can write externally to it but the Kies software simply refuses to connect to it. Dosent also work under the Wi-Fi option from within the tablet. Compare this with your Apple products and they just simply work every time without any fuss or bother. So its the combination of having great apps support/range and also more importantly the overall user's experience.

Upshot is that while Samsung could end up creating a device twice, three or ten times hardware spec over the iPad, sadly there are more factors involved here.

After my experiences of using both the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Apple iPad, I personally wont be rushing out to buy this Retina based tablet. Smartphone Android Apps just arent going to look nice on it, judging by the serious lack of proper tablet apps currently available on Android. No doubt Android developers will catch up but after investing the same money into my Galaxy Tab as my iPad how long am I supposed to wait for this to happen?

 

[WVUTampaAlum]

I said this in another thread.

1. What use besides security?
2. This is like fingerprint scanner on laptops and where did that go.
3. Give me facial recognition with the standard camera.

That being said I aplaud samsung and hope they are first to market so don't have to hear all ifan boys.

 

[jseah]

I said this in another thread.

1. What use besides security?
2. This is like fingerprint scanner on laptops and where did that go.
3. Give me facial recognition with the standard camera.

That being said I aplaud samsung and hope they are first to market so don't have to hear all ifan boys.

Retina is just their name for the type of screen. It does not refer to retinal scans as a means of security. The tablet isn't going to scan your retina to verify it is you before the screen will unlock. Samsung using Retina (and Apple uses Retina as well) is just like Motorola referring to their screens as pentile screens.

 

[jseah]

FWIW, there was a news article today that suggests Apple will be moving up the release of the iPad 3 to February as well.

 

[MasterElwood]

Retina is just their name for the type of screen. It does not refer to retinal scans as a means of security. The tablet isn't going to scan your retina to verify it is you before the screen will unlock. Samsung using Retina (and Apple uses Retina as well) is just like Motorola referring to their screens as pentile screens.

"pentile" is a tech - "retina" just a marketing term.

 

[MasterElwood]

Oh and I just found AVG anti-virus!! WTF? thats bad when you have to install anti-virus on your tablet!! never had to have done that before!!

Android gives you the option to "sideload" programs - meaning downloading programs directly onto your device and not from the android market. Like on a pc.

If you just download from the android market - you dont need a virus scanner. google doesnt check content - but the scan the apps in the android market for viruses.