Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 release date, specs and features leaked

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is supposedly the next compact tablet from the South Korean smartphone giant and rumors say that the company will follow in the lines of Project Zero and completely redesign the device. Samsung is reportedly aiming to compete against Apple’s iPad offerings with the Galaxy Tab S2, as reports from SamMobile state that the device will benefit from a design overhaul, as well as incremental upgrades to features and build materials. Moreover, the Galaxy Tab S2 is supposedly aiming to be even thinner than the iPad Air 2, which would directly target Apple fans who like lightweight, thin tablets.

Recent reports out of China revealed that Samsung came in third on the smartphone market behind Xiaomi and Apple, so the attempt to counter Apple’s tablet offering would be proof of Samsung trying to catch up with the new design standards set by the two companies with metal devices. As with the Galaxy S6, the Galaxy Tab S2 is supposedly going to sport a metal build as sturdy as on the iPad Air 2. Moreover, Samsung will strive to make the tablet as thin as possible, even thinner than the iPad Air 2’s 6.1 mm chassis. I personally don’t understand why gadget makers like Samsung, Apple and even Oppo would sacrifice battery life and durability in favor of thinness. Fact of the matter is that thinner a gadget is, the easier it is to damage it, so sacrificing durability for design seems like a redundant attempt. Even though both Samsung and Apple would invoke portability as the reason for the lightweight, thin chassis on their devices, we need to consider that portability isn’t really improved by the thinness of a gadget because you still have to slap a case on it so that it doesn’t get bent in your backpack or purse. Weird, isn’t it?

Anyhow, SamMobile says that the Galaxy Tab S2 will be one of the best and most compact tablets from the South Korean company. The slate will most likely feature two different displays depending on variant, one 8 inch one  and one 9.7 inch one, which means that Samsung is targeting the compact tablet market Apple is targeting, directly competing with the iPad Mini and the iPad Air. That would be a nice strategy only if Samsung reviews their pricing for tablets a bit. They won’t manage to aggressively compete against Apple products unless they price the Galaxy Tab S2 lower to make it more affordable for the average consumer. Even though the tablet market hasn’t been very booming lately, it still registered growth among users, which would warrant some new products from international companies, but competition is fierce.

Besides the thin, lightweight, metal chassis, Samsung is said to adopt the 4:3 aspect ratio for the display on the Galaxy Tab S2. Since the company overwhelmingly uses 16:9 aspect ratios in their tablet, the Galaxy Tab S2 should be a nice alternative to those. Since it comes in a compact format, the alleged Galaxy Tab S2 will most likely draw in crowds who would buy the Apple iPad Mini 3 or iPad Air 2, which might pose a threat to Apple in international markets. Since these are just rumors, we should take them with a grain of salt, at least until Samsung comes forth with a press release or official announcement.

The release date of the Galaxy Tab S2 hasn’t been disclosed, but our own sources point towards Q3 of 2015 as the most likely time-frame for the launch. SamMobile, who is the exclusive source for the specs and design of the Galaxy Tab S2, didn’t reveal much more about the slate, but we do expect them to come forth with more information in the next few weeks. Our sources say that the Galaxy Tab S2 will launch most likely between June and August, but IFA 2015 is also a possibility. At the same time, persons close to Samsung report that the slate will most likely feature Exynos chipsets and QHD panels, which might warrant a rise in pricing.

Take all of this information with a grain of salt please, since Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything about the Galaxy Tab S2 yet. We expect an announcement to be made about the upcoming tablet portfolio of the company at the Mobile World Congress in March, when the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge should be unveiled. Until then, we have no other choice than to look forward to the new metal-clad smartphones and hope for more information on the Galaxy Tab S2.