Report: 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Note now being tested
Leaked wireless certifications confirm forthcoming mid-sized tablet
Samsung isn't about to rest on its laurels manufacturing Google's new Nexus 10 tablet, with what appears to be a seven-inch version of the Galaxy Note popping up on the radar this week.
Slashgear reported Wednesday that Samsung Electronics appears to be testing a new seven-inch Android tablet believed to be the Galaxy Note 7, aimed at filling the gap between the company's "phablet" smartphones and their full-sized siblings.
Popping up in two different test certificate listings from the DLNA Alliance, the mystery device features two model numbers: GT-N5100 and GT-N5110.
The "GT-N" model number prefix is noteworthy because it's also used by Samsung's existing Galaxy Note II and Galaxy Note 10.1, offering a clue as to where the upcoming product might fit in the lineup.
Certifiably leaked
Curiously, the DLNA Alliance describes the hardware as "Galaxy S2 GT-I9100 OS upgrade version derivative model - Ice Cream Sandwich version - Tablet," which suggests an upgrade to the Galaxy S II smartphone bearing the same model number.
The plot thickens once you add a recent Wi-Fi Alliance certification for the same GT-N5110 model number - describing the product as a "Wi-Fi and other" tablet implementing both dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n and Wi-Fi Direct support.
Confusingly, that certificate actually points to a third tablet model number, the GT-T8025, which appears to be a different product entirely.
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Leading speculation suggests the GT-N5100 and GT-N5110 model numbers denote separate Wi-Fi only and cellular-enabled models, but until the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 hits the FCC, no one quite knows for certain.