Samsung plans to take on iPad Pro and Surface Pro with bigger Galaxy tablets

After a long period of speculation, Apple finally took the covers off of the 2020 iPad Pro. The new models are exactly what consumers expected which is another hardware refresh for its productivity slates. With its suite of new features and improved productivity courtesy of the new Magic Keyboard smart cover, tech industry analysts believe it could even properly take on the Microsoft Surface Pro series. Samsung, on the other hand, wants to regain its foothold on the market and it plans to do so with bigger tablets.

It appears that the sizes it has its sights on are 11 inches and 12.4 inches. For comparison, the iPad Pro is available in 11-inch and 12.9-inch options, while the Surface Pro is at 12.3 inches. An article from SlashGear recalls that back in 2014, the South Korean tech company offered a 12.2-inch model called the Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2. It failed to meet sales expectations probably due to the size being quite rare at the time.

The Android operating system for tablets has come a long way with improvements that added up to a more robust package. Samsung has been promoting its DeX functionality which is also available on Galaxy Smartphones. So far, rumours suggest that there will be four premium tablets launching soon. Technically, there will be only two models, but each one will have a Wi-Fi and cellular variant much like the previous tablets released by the manufacturer.

Supply chain insiders even provided model numbers to support the claims. The 12.4-inch versions will carry the SM-T97X, while the 11-inch ones will use SM-T87X. Samsung's current high-end model is the Galaxy Tab S6 which ships with a stylus and can be paired with the Keyboard Book Cover. This turns it into a capable portable workstation for those who want an entertainment and productivity machine in a single package.

Aside from Samsung, Huawei recently launched its MatePad Pro tablet. While it is a powerful Android device on paper, being blacklisted by the United States government means it is missing Google Mobile Services. It still remains to be seen whether the upcoming Galaxy Tablets can do even better with Microsoft about to release its next wave of Surface hardware.