Samsung's $249 Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 To Make U.S. Debut On April 22, We Go Hands-On
Samsung teased the masses this past February when they revealed that one of their first Ice Cream Sandwich-powered tablets would be the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, a decidedly mid-range device that seemed lacking in the style department.
Context & Ripple Effects
Samsung’s 7-inch tablet line began as a $499-and-up retail offering in 2010, following the original Froyo-based 7-inch Galaxy Tab. The Tab 2 was introduced in February as an Android 4.0 model, with pricing already signaling a lower-cost position than that first generation.
The April 22 U.S. launch puts that repositioning into stores at $249, while Samsung’s tablet range also includes the thinner, Super AMOLED-equipped Galaxy Tab 7.7 and a listed $399 Tab 2 10.1.
First-order effects
- U.S. buyers gain a $249 entry point to Samsung’s Android 4.0 tablet line, expanding Samsung’s addressable market beyond the earlier $499-and-up Galaxy Tab offer.
- Samsung establishes the 7-inch Tab 2 as the price-led member of its tablet lineup, distinct from the 10.1-inch Tab 2 and Galaxy Tab 7.7.
Second-order effects
- Samsung must make screen size, display technology and portability—not Android version alone—do more of the work differentiating its 7-inch, 7.7-inch and 10.1-inch tablets.
- Retailers carrying Samsung tablets gain a clearer price ladder, with the $249 model serving as the low-end anchor against the $399 10.1-inch Tab 2 listing.
Third-order effects
- If Samsung sustains this lineup approach, Android tablet competition shifts toward tiered hardware portfolios that use size and component quality to segment buyers at multiple price points.
The trend: Samsung is turning the Galaxy Tab range into a tiered tablet portfolio, using a lower-priced 7-inch model to widen entry while reserving premium hardware for higher tiers.