There have been some rumors about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 in recent weeks, and it looks like the Android tablet series could come with two cheaper FE (Fan Edition) models as part of the lineup, which would be a surprise.
The SamMobile team (opens in a new tab) connected the dots and compared the model numbers shown by Geekbench benchmarks. Two of these models, the SM-X516B and SM-X616B, could be budget versions of the Tab S9.
According to the above convention, the Tab S9, Tab S9 Plus, and Tab S9 Ultra should have the model numbers SM-X716, SM-X816, and SM-X916 respectively. This means that the two additional models that have appeared are a mystery.
FAITH returns
You may recall that a Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE was released in 2021, but we didn't get an FE tablet with the Galaxy Tab S8 the following year. Signs are now that the FE model might be making a comeback, as is Samsung's phone line.
The FE version of the Galaxy S22 phone hasn't materialized to coincide with the tablet series, but there's been a lot of talk that there will actually be a Samsung Galaxy S23 FE this year. It seems that the Fan Edition is back in style.
Depending on the SKUs, these tablets will come with a mid-range Exynos 1380 chipset and either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. They should appear alongside the main Tab S9 tablets around August or September (depending on the Galaxy Tab S8 calendar).
Analysis: Hedging Price Levels
In years past, except last year, Samsung has used FE tablets and phones to appeal to people who don't want to spend on flagship prices but want devices they can trust. All the best mid-range phones and tablets make trade-offs, but good ones.
It's unclear exactly why the FE models didn't appear alongside the Galaxy Tab S8 or Galaxy S22, but the ongoing effects of a global pandemic and economic uncertainty likely had something to do with it.
Another possibility is that sales haven't been great for devices like the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, so it will be interesting to see if that changes, if Samsung decides to produce two Galaxy Tab S9 FE models (possibly with different sizes or different configuration options). . ).
In theory, these FE devices should strike the perfect balance between price and performance, but that can be an elusive sweet spot. For inspiration, Samsung need only look to Apple, which covers the entire price range with its iPads.