Samsung releases the 7-inch Galaxy Tab

While there’s been plenty of hype for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, it’s not the only Android tablet Samsung plans to release this year. In fact, they’ve recently released the follow-up to their 7-inch Galaxy Tab from last year. It’s a bit early, since it was supposed to hit shelves on November 13th, but right now you can grab the new Galaxy Tab 7-inch device. As with the 10.1, the 7-inch version ranks among the best Android tablets on the market. Even better, it doesn’t suffer from the same pricing pitfalls as its larger sibling. While I absolutely love the Galaxy Tab 10.1, I do feel that the pricing is all wrong for it. The WiFi-only version is priced right in line with the iPad, while the 4G versions — available through both Verizon and T-Mobile — require two-year contracts that involve monthly payments of at least $30. Even moderately heavy tablet users will require the 5GB plan, which costs $50 per month through both Verizon and T-Mobile. Those are some heavy costs. Hardcore Android users might be pleased to pay the price. T-Mobile makes it even easier, requiring only $399 down, though the remaining $250 gets paid off in $10 monthly increments. But hardcore Android users will probably pay this price because they have no use for the iPad. Like it or not, Apple still dominates the tablet market. That makes it difficult to move a significant number of units that are similarly priced. That’s why I like the Kindle Fire’s chances. Amazon decided to compete on the one plane that Apple refuses: price. And that should win them customers. The 7-inch Galaxy Tab comes in at a more affordable $400 for the 16GB version, and $500 for the 32GB. That actually beats the BlackBerry PlayBook, even though the latter is not yet a fully functional tablet. While Samsung would probably better serve the market by pricing the 7-inch Galaxy Tab a bit lower, they’ll probably do OK with this pricing level. They’re almost certain to sell more units than the 10.1, given the iPad comparisons. Via Phandroid.