Following our story on Friday hinting at the possibility that Samsung may be announcing new tablets and a new smartphone in the next few days, it has been confirmed that users can look forward to the unveiling of at least one other tablet and another Galaxy S II variation. According to Engadget, Samsung announced yesterday that it would be unveiling the Galaxy S II LTE and the Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE at the IFA trade show in Berlin in a few days time.

"With the introduction of Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE, we will take the capabilities of these devices to a whole new level. LTE redefines the user experience made possible by these devices and opens entirely new possibilities in terms of content viewing, sharing, quality and connectivity," explained JK Shin, president and head of Samsung's Mobile Communications business.

When connected to a 4G network, LTE technology would enable portable devices to download high-quality files at speeds of up to 100 Mbps, and to upload at speeds of 50 Mbps theoretically – five times faster than even the quickest HSPA+ connection. According to Samsung, this means that a four-minute long MP3 track could be downloaded in 0.3 seconds, or an entire film file in less than two minutes.

Shin elaborated that the addition of LTE to the Samsung Galaxy portfolio opened up a range of possibilities for users, including seamless social gaming, video conferencing and high-quality media streaming. It also enabled further opportunities for mobile application and content developers to create a new generation of mobile services that take full advantage of increased bandwidth and improved connectivity, he continued.

Galaxy S II LTE

Along with a 1.5 GHz dual core processor and a eight megapixel camera as found on the currently available Galaxy S II, the new smartphone will boast a sizable 4.5” screen. Additionally, it will support Wi-Fi connectivity with up to eight devices, enabling files to be quickly and seamlessly synchronised with laptops, tablets and other mobile devices. As on its tablet siblings, the new iteration will ship with Social, Game and Music hubs included, while the Readers Hub will be available for download after launch. Given the inevitable size of the new device, we are just hoping to see a noticeably solid build construction.

Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE

While the new Galaxy S II received a size increase, the company stressed its new tablet’s portability as a feature, citing it as weighing in at 455 g. This compares favourably to the 595 g of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which was already notably light in its own right. The company explained that the new tablet would ideally suit mobile professionals, who needed to stay productive and entertained while on the move. LTE capabilities – at least in regions where it’s supported - would further enable video conferences to be held without needing to worry about failing connections.  

The 8.9" – which we expect to slot somewhere between the 7” and 10.1” Galaxy Tabs - will apparently feature the same thin design and 1200 x 800 screen  as found on the Galaxy Tab 10.1. While the 8.9” table is certainly a niche size in an already crowded tablet market, it will be interesting to see what else Samsung has up its sleeve and what other information on the new offerings will be made available in the upcoming week.

There’s no word as yet whether or when either of the new devices will be coming to South Africa, nor as to what prices we can anticipate if or when they do.  


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