Samsung will be launching a new Galaxy Tab A series budget tablet soon, but it doesn't offer enough new features to be a compelling upgrade.
Samsung is set to announce a new budget tablet for 2022, in the form of the Galaxy Tab A7 (2022), but when it does, fans of its Galaxy Tab A series may be disappointed. Samsung's Galaxy Tab A series are affordable alternatives to the Galaxy Tab S series, just as its Galaxy A smartphones are cheaper alternatives to its Galaxy S and Galaxy Z flagships.
Their pocket-friendly price comes at the expense of less powerful processors, inferior displays and less-than-stellar cameras. They also don't pack some of the bells and whistles of their more expensive siblings, such as Bluetooth stylus support, a high refresh rate, a fingerprint sensor, a keyboard case and support for Samsung DeX.
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The Galaxy Tab A7 is expected to get a new model this year that will succeed the version released in 2020. However, early details indicate that Samsung has made very minor changes to the device that may not be enough to warrant an upgrade for those looking forward to it. Specifications shared by Twitter user SnoopyTech (@_snoopytech_) reveal that the Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) will have the same display, cameras, and battery capacity as the Galaxy Tab A7 (2020), with the only change being the processor. A device render also shows that the previous model's design has been carried over.
According to the source, when the Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) launches, it will have a 10.4-inch TFT display with a 1200 × 2000 resolution. The leaked photo shows it has relatively thick bezels of equal thickness on each side. It will have a single 8MP camera on the back and a 5MP camera in front for video calls. What Samsung has changed is the processor. Gone is the Snapdragon 662 chipset supplied by Qualcomm, and in its place is the Unisoc T618, the same one inside the Galaxy Tab A8 (2021). The chip will be paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.
What's surprising is that the source mentions that Samsung will launch the tablet with Android 11 rather than Android 12. That is disappointing news, considering Samsung's software update policy is known to be better than that of the competition. And with Android 13 weeks away from release at the earliest, Samsung's decision to ship the tablet with 2020 software is disappointing. If it is any consolation, the Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) will be affordable when it launches, carrying a €199 price tag in Europe.
It is unknown how much it will sell for in the U.S. or even if it will be released in North America. However, considering there isn't a significant difference between the 2020 and 2022 models, Samsung may decide to skip the U.S. At the moment, both the Galaxy Tab A7 (2020) and the Galaxy Tab A8 (2021) start at $229 in the U.S. It won't be far-fetched to presume the Galaxy Tab A7 (2022) will have a similar price tag if it gets a U.S. release. Details about its launch date are still under wraps, but a release date is likely around the corner.
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Habeeb enjoys writing about the consumer technology space and has a keen interest in wearables, Android smartphones and tablets, and Chromebooks. When he's not writing, he's catching up on the latest TV shows and movies.