Samsung Unveils Wi-Fi Only Galaxy Tab

Samsung officials used the CES Show in Las Vegas to confirm reports that it will release the long-awaited Wi-Fi only version of the Galaxy Tab sometime in the first quarter in the United States.

However, no official pricing or actual launch date has been revealed.

Samsung Mobile Chief Strategy Officer Omar Khan unveiled the device and showed off the Samsung Galaxy Player and the Samsung Infuse 4G smartphone at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show.

Pricing Surprise

The Wi-Fi only Tab comes months after Samsung launched the Android 2.2-based tablet with both 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities, countering Apple’s own Wi-Fi plus 3G.

The Tab has sold more than 1.5 million units to date, Khan said, a revision over the 1 million unit shipment number Samsung offered just a few weeks ago.

However, the high price point – in America Verizon Wireless and AT&T began selling the device minus a contract for $599 (£386) and $649 (£419), respectively, caught some experts off guard who had been expecting a device that cost less than the $499 (£322) base price for the Wi-Fi only iPad.

The Wi-Fi only option will certainly come at a sub-$500 (£322) price point. “Consumers and enterprise want different options,” Khan said. “We’re giving consumers the most choice.”

iPod Touch Rival

Khan proceeded to unveil the Galaxy Player as the “first Google-certified Android-based smart player.” That is to say, it’s another rival for Apple’s iPod Touch.

The device, like the Samsung Galaxy S smartphones that sold 10 million units worldwide, sports a 4-inch LCD screen and runs on Android 2.2. The player will offer access to 120,000 apps on Google’s Android platform.

The Galaxy Player, first introduced in Korea, will launch worldwide in 2011, Khan claimed.

Also, Samsung will offer a super-thin new Android 2.2-based 4G smartphone called the Infuse 4G on AT&T’s network, The device will sport a 4.5-inch Super-AMOLED Plus touchscreen display powered by a 1.2 GHz processor.

The gadget will boast a 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and HD recording and a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera.

No pricing is available though AT&T said the gadget will come out in the second quarter 2011.