Samsung typically releases a new tablet series every year. However, for the Galaxy Tab S8 series, eager fans had to wait for 18 months from the launch of the Tab S7 duo back in 2020 before they could get their hands on the new generation tablet. According to a new report, a similar wait might be on the cards for the Galaxy Tab S9 series.
Reports had it that Samsung would kickstart the development of the next-gen Galaxy Tab S9 series in December of this year, but this is looking unlikely, with The Elec reporting that the South Korean company has shelved those plans for the time being.
Delaying the start of the development would also in turn push the respective launch further forward into 2023. The Elec believes Samsung has made this decision due to a decrease in demand for IT products, including tablets, and a recent global economic downturn.
Taking a look back at the previous tablet releases from Samsung, the Galaxy Tab S8 series was released alongside the Galaxy S22 lineup, while the Tab S7 and the S7+ were unveiled alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Therefore, this delay in development might push Samsung into unveiling the Tab S9 series alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 in the second half of 2023.
There is also the possibility of Samsung dedicating an entire Unpacked event to the new Tab S9 series, especially if the company takes more time in improving it or adding more features than what the Tab S8 series currently have.
With the delay, Samsung is expected to reevaluate its plans regarding the Galaxy Tab S9 series and target the premium tablet market. This move is backed by research firms who claim that the overall market for tablets will decrease. However, the demand in the premium segment will go up.
Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) back this claim, projecting that the penetration of premium tablets could rise from 3% in 2021 to 4% in 2022. At the moment, Samsung is the second-biggest tablet maker after Apple.
It is still too early to speculate on what kind of specs the Galaxy Tab S9 series will have, however, given the recent focus on improving the Android experience on big-screen devices, expecting a device on par with the very best from Apple is understandable. But until Samsung gives us word on their plans, we can only speculate at this point.
