Confusion Surrounds Samsung Galaxy Tab Pricing

The pricing strategy of Samsung’s newly released Galaxy Tab device has been thrown into confusion, with various leaks stating it could be priced anywhere from $200 (£132) to more than $1,000 (£652).

In other words, pricing information for the device has begun to leak online – much of it contradictory.

Contradictory Reports

For example, The Wall Street Journal, paraphrased Samsung executive Hankil Yoon as saying the Galaxy Tab would “likely” retail between $200 (£132) and $300 (£195) in the United States, after carriers’ contract-related subsidies.

But the German version of Amazon.com currently lists the Galaxy Tab for 799 euros (£665), which is decidedly more expensive than most versions of the iPad.

Meanwhile a German-language Twitter feed for European carrier O2 suggested that 799 euro (£665) price-point – instead of being an up-front cost – would consist of a 99 euro (£82) deposit followed by a 27.50-euro (£22.88) monthly payment.

Just to make things a little more interesting, tech blog Engadget linked 2 September to the British shopping website Expansys, which lists the Galaxy Tab at a wallet-busting £679 ($1,040).

Tablet Specs

Unveiled 2 September at the IFA 2010 consumer electronics show in Berlin, the Galaxy Tab features a TFT-LCD 7-inch screen and a Cortex A8 1GHz processor, paired with Google Android 2.2. The device will be launched across Europe in mid-September, according to reports, with a US unveiling rumoured for 16 September in New York City.

The Galaxy Tab will come standard with 16GB of internal memory, scalable to 32GB of external memory. That contrasts with the iPad, which offers 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions. Both Samsung and Apple support WiFi and 3G connectivity, with AT&T providing the latter for the iPad. Blogs such as Boy Genius Report have suggested that Verizon will be the US carrier for the Galaxy Tab.

Tough Competition

The question remains whether the US pricing for the device will follow European trends or try to undercut the iPad’s price. Samsung could also conceivably offer a more expensive unlocked Galaxy Tab, in addition to a cheaper carrier-subsidised device.

The other Android-based competitor in the space, the Dell Streak, sells for $299 (£195) with a two-year AT&T contract, and $549.99 (£359) unlocked. Other manufacturers are also reportedly preparing their own tablets, including Hewlett-Packard with a Palm WebOS device and Research In Motion with a BlackBerry-based one. Microsoft has been very public with its intentions to port Windows 7 onto tablets within the next few quarters.

Samsung’s US price point for the Galaxy Tab may prove the deciding factor in how it fares against not only the iPad, but those upcoming tablets.