Samsung Galaxy Tab S7: what we want to see

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• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7: what we want to see

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is scheduled to launch in late 2020, giving Samsung another chance to undo Apple's reign as the most popular tablet maker. Following the Galaxy Tab S6 from 2019, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 will be Samsung's high-end tablet for 2020, in addition to the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and all Galaxy Tab A devices released during the year. It should be noted that some rumors suggest that the tablet it will be called the Galaxy Tab S20, which would bring the slate in line with the nomenclature for Samsung Galaxy S20 phones, but this is disputed. Apple's premium slates, most recently the 2020 iPad Pro, are generally considered the best tablets available today, giving the tech giant a solid reign at the top of the tablet market. But the Galaxy Tab S7 could give Samsung another chance to take the lead. We've heard a few leaks regarding the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 now, which we've listed below, but we don't know much about what could happen yet. In the meantime, we've also offered a list of desired features that we'd like to see in the new device.

Cut to the hunt

• What is it? Samsung's new premium tablet
• When did it come out? Towards the end of 2020, probably in August
• How much will it cost? Probably at least € 649 / € 619 / AU € 1,099

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 price and release date

We've heard that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is expected to launch in August 2020, parallel to or just before the launch of the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Fold 2. There hasn't been a hint of a release date yet, and with the pandemic of coronavirus affecting supply chains around the world, products may be available for purchase sometime after launch. This is rumored to be the case with the iPhone 12 among other phones, with the Galaxy Tab supposedly coming before that. In terms of price, we haven't heard anything so far, but we can make assumptions. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 costs €649 / £619 / AU$1,099 and €729 / €689 / €1,299 for its lowest storage option, WiFi only and LTE connectivity, respectively. The Tab S7 certainly won't get any cheaper than that. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 should have 5G connectivity as well as a larger screen than the Tab S6, and these are just the rumors we've heard: it looks like the new slate may have a lot of new features that push the price up a bit, for which we expect to see in detail for much more than just the Tab S6.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 (Image credit: future)

News, rumors and leaks.

One of the biggest Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 leaks so far (literally) is that the slate could be bigger than the Tab S6, and it will also be available in multiple sizes. You can apparently grab the tablet in 11-inch or 12.4-inch sizes, oddly similar to the 11-inch or 12.9-inch of recent generations of iPad Pros. It also appears that the 7-inch Galaxy Tab S12.4 is internally called the Tab S7 Plus, though it's not. unclear if it will be a separate device like the Galaxy S20 is the S20 Plus, or just different in terms of size. Another big leak suggested that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 would be 5G-capable, if you buy a certain variant, giving you next-gen connectivity with top speeds and reliability, which will no doubt come in handy for certain types of users. This leak also indicates that the tablet will come with the S Pen, which we expected given the precedent with Samsung tablets, but still good to hear.

What we want to see

Before any more leaks and rumors emerge about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, we've put together a short wish list; that's what we want to see in the new premium Android tablet.

1. Best software for tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 on Android. (Image credit: TechRadar) One of the main reasons why Apple lists ahead of Android devices in the tablet space is the operating systems: Most people find that iPadOS, intentionally built for the iPads are easier to use on a larger screen than Android, which is more designed for smartphones. iPadOS offers smoother navigation, some side panel tools, and a more user-friendly UI, and its MacOS sidecar feature is useful for some users. By comparison, Android gives the impression that a tablet looks like a big smartphone. If Google created a branch of Android that worked well on tablets, iPads would finally have some real competition, both from the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and other devices of this type.

2. 120Hz display

iPad Pro 11 with its 120Hz display (Image credit: TechRadar) Many flagship smartphones in 2020, including Samsung's Galaxy S20 range, have 120Hz displays. This refers to the refresh rate, so the screen refreshes 120 times per second, instead of 60 times on your "standard" phone or tablet. Displays with a 120Hz refresh rate are easier to use whether you're browsing social media or playing certain supported games, and if you use your tablet to view a lot of documents or emails, you'll surely notice the difference. Technically, iPad Pro tablets have this feature, because the ``ProMotion'' technology automatically adjusts the refresh rate to suit the content you're viewing, but there's no way to manually set it like on smartphones. So if the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 had a 120Hz display, it would be a step ahead of iPads.

3. A headphone jack

The iPad 10.2 had a 3.5mm headphone jack (Image credit: Future) Imagine using your standard tablet while it's charging, or connected to an external monitor or hard drive, and wow! You can't plug in wired headphones because devices that have lost the 3.5mm headphone jack require you to rely on the single USB-C port as everything you need to connect. Sure, you can use wireless headphones, but it's not always an option. This can be annoying if your wireless headphones are paired with your smartphone, as the switches can be a pain and often aren't worth it. Many professionals or casual users may want multiple inputs connected to their tablet at the same time, whether it's an external hard drive and a wired headset if you're editing a video or a charger and 'wired headset if you're relaxing alone or in a long trip. If there was a 3.5mm headphone jack, like older tablets and some budget options, you'd get this versatility that other high-end tablets don't.

4. Improved front camera

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 had some tricks to face the front if you used the S Pen. (Image credit: Future) Just like smartphones, newer versions of tablets tend to have better rear cameras - the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 offers two - but there are plenty of reasons why you'll want decent front cameras. First, if you're on a video call (and have decent internet), it's nice to have a high-resolution camera to better convey your face. Also, some people who need to film themselves, if they have a job in media or other videos, will appreciate a front facing camera that allows them to capture themselves in decent resolution. We'd like to see the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 come with a better front-facing camera, perhaps with a 12MP resolution or even higher, so you can take photos and videos that rival smartphones.

5. Lots of internal storage

You can do a lot with the iPad Pro's 1TB storage (Image credit: Future) The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 only comes with 128GB or 256GB of storage, and even if there was a card slot, we'd say this isn't it. necessarily enough for certain types of users, such as video editors or publishers, who can often have several hundred GB of files for a single project. Sometimes carrying an external storage solution with you everywhere is not feasible, especially those that require external power or are large, and the cards can only store a large amount of data at a time. Since the iPad Pro models have 1TB options, it would be nice to see the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 match to make it more viable for productivity, or even for there to be a 512GB version, for people who want to work and also have movies, music or downloaded games to relax.