The Tab S8 came about 18 months after the Tab S7 did, it could be the same for the S9
While the recent Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch unveiling may have taken some of the attention away from the likes of Samsung, that company is still hard at work developing its flagship phones for early next year — the Galaxy S23 series. While the company continues to dominate the Android smartphone segment, its tablets haven’t quite seen the same success. Whether it is due to the extensive popularity of the Apple iPad lineup or the availability of cheaper, flagship-grade, Android tablets in the marketplace, Samsung’s high-end Galaxy Tab S series have failed to leave a mark. A report now suggests that the conglomerate may be adapting to wider market conditions by reportedly delaying the development cycle for the Galaxy Tab S9 tablet lineup, which was originally expected to start late this year.
The uncertain outlook in the global economy is reportedly to blame for the delay in the development of Samsung’s next flagship tablets. South Korean publication The Elec reports that a lack of demand for electronics following the easing of pandemic restrictions as another factor for the company’s decision.
Samsung was originally expected to commence development of the upcoming tablet series in December with the company planning three Galaxy Tab S9 variants in a fashion similar to its predecessor.
That dip in demand is also likely to impact Samsung’s tablet sales this year. Research firm DSCC, which anticipated an 8% decrease in shipments for the tablet segment this year. This is despite a forecasted increase in premium product shipments (comprising of tablets with OLED and mini-LED displays) by as much as 22%. Consequently, this would also lead to a marginal increase in the number of premium tablets in the marketplace, expected to go up from a 3% share in 2021 to 4% this year.
It’s worth noting that we don’t have an estimated timeline for the tablet’s arrival yet, but based on this new report, it’s likely that the Galaxy Tab S9 will probably arrive sometime in the second half of 2023, possibly alongside the successors to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 sometime in August.
