Samsung Electronics has launched the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), the first of its tablets to ship with Android 4.0 and its own Touchwiz user interface, the company said on Monday.
The latest addition to Samsung’s tablet portfolio ispowered by adual-core 1GHz processor and has a 7-inch screen with a 1024-by-600pixel resolution.
The tablet will cost about US$350 excluding taxes for theWi-Fi version, according to a statement from Samsung in Sweden, whichalso says that it will start shipping in March.
Samsung will also sell a 3G version of the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), whichcan function as a phone and connects to the Internet using HSPA(High-Speed Packet Access) at 21M bps (bits per second).
The tablet is 10.5 millimeters thick and weighs 344 grams, compared tothe iPad 2 to which is 8.8 millimetersthick and weighs 601 grams.
The specification also includes two cameras; 8, 16 or 32GB ofintegrated storage and MicroSD card slot; and a 4000 mAh battery thatshould last for up to 39 hours, according to Samsung.
With a lower price, Samsung hopes to attract a larger audienceto itstablets. Sales of Android-based tablets more than tripled during thefourth quarter of 2011, but Apple still dominates the market,accordingto a recent report from Strategy Analytics. The Android camp had a 39.1percent share of global tablet shipments, compared to 29 percent a yearearlier. Apple’s share dropped from 68.2 percent to 57.6 percent,according to Strategy Analytics.