Samsung (005930) aimed high when it unveiled its Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet for the third time last week. Calling the new Note nothing short of “life-changing,” Samsung focused on the slate’s S Pen stylus integration as a key differentiating factor that will change the way we use tablets forever. Despite a wide range of criticism, we found that Samsung’s stylus features indeed added some great capabilities in certain cases. Did Samsung live up to the expectations set by own marketing jargon, though? One industry watcher doesn’t think so.
Fred Huet, Managing Director at telecoms consultancy Greenwich Consulting, believes Samsung’s new slate has a lot to offer but it’s not the game-changing device the company billed it as.
“With the inclusion of a stylus and split screen functionality, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 has clearly been designed to attempt something different in the tablet market,” Huet said in a note sent to BGR. “This is a bold move by Samsung yet I wonder whether this really is the iPhone moment that they have been looking for?”
Huet continued, stating that the inclusion of a stylus is not a “permanent and spectacular leap forward,” and it does little to truly alter the way people will use the device. To compound matters, the analyst believes pricing could present a significant barrier.
“The price point of the device is also interesting, and by launching it onto market at the same price as the iPad, Samsung have potentially limited its impact,” Huet noted. “Consumers today want the most bang for their buck, and with tablets today becoming cheaper (with even Apple rumoured to be launching a smaller and cheaper iPad Mini in September) the success of the Galaxy Note could be placed into question.”
So, what can Samsung do to give its new tablet a fighting chance? “For the Galaxy Note to be considered a sound Android investment, Samsung must quickly develop an array of applications that make full use of the S Pen, helping to position it against its biggest rival, Apple (AAPL),” the analyst concluded.
Image source: Wired
