If you're in the market for a premium Android tablet, you'll likely have your eye on the rumored Galaxy Tab S10 range – but the latest speculation suggests that the series could surprisingly ditch the Tab S line's smallest model.
The reliable display industry analyst Ross Young posted an update on X (formerly Twitter) about the likely launch date of the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and S10 Ultra, stating that they're "expected to begin production in August" ahead of an October launch.
But in a follow-up reply, he also confirmed that the absence of a standard Galaxy Tab S10 model from his post was no mistake, adding that he wasn't "seeing it on the panel or tablet production side".
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and S10 Ultra are expected to begin production in August, consistent with October launch rumors. Colors are Gray and Silver for each.July 22, 2024
That's consistent with the leaks we've seen so far, like the ones in May that only surfaced model numbers for the Plus and Ultra. At the time, we speculated that the omission might be due to the early stage of the range's development, but it's now possible that Samsung could abandon its base model entirely.
If that happens, it could mean no 11-inch option for the Galaxy Tab series, with Samsung focusing on its 12.4-inch and 14.6-inch models (assuming it sticks with the S9's screen sizes). And that would be something of a surprise...
Don't rule it out just yet
Our guide to the best Android tablets shows that the 11-inch tablet space is still something of a sweet spot, with our top recommendation being the OnePlus Pad (11.61-in screen), while Apple continues to offer 11-inch sizes in its iPad Air and iPad Pro series.
Samsung does offer smaller tablet screen sizes in its more budget-friendly Galaxy Tab A9 series. Last October, it launched the Galaxy Tab A9 (8.7-inch screen) and A9 Plus (11-inch screen), which offered the two largest screens in the series so far. It also launched its mid-range Galaxy Tab S9 FE series, which offers 10.9-inch and 12.4-inch models.
It's possible, then, that Samsung could be keeping its 11-inch tablet option for those cheaper tablet series only, and shifting its Galaxy Tab S series even further towards the premium end. We now also have benchmark scores for the S10 Plus and S10 Ultra (via GSMArena), hinting at Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-beating performance from their new Dimensity 9300+ chips.
However, the Galaxy Tab S9 prices started at $799 / £799 / AU$1,299, which would still leave a significant price gap between the Tab A9 Plus, Tab S9 FE, and Tab S10 Plus. So it's possible that the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9 simply hasn't appeared in regulatory listings yet, and will still take its place in Samsung's tablet lineup later this year. We'll likely find out for sure in the run-up to October.
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