Samsung’s iPad killer, the Android-based Galaxy Tab, will be priced in the same range as the iPad but customers will be able to get discounts by signing up for 3G service contracts.
Last week, a report suggested Sprint would be selling the device for $599, or $399 if customers set up a 2-year service agreement. Now, TmoNews shows the same pricing scheme for T-Mobile, except the no-contract price is $50 more.
The steep price will be a hurdle for Samsung, as it doesn’t give consumers a financial reason to go for the Galaxy Tab over the much more popular and well-known iPad.
The Galaxy Tab does have some advantages, though – it runs on Android 2.2 so it has full Flash support, it has two built-in cameras, and it’s possible to hold it in one hand.
Also, Samsung’s device will be rolled out to all four of the US’s major carriers, unlike the iPad which still restricts its 3G connectivity to AT&T.
There hasn’t yet been a killer tablet running Google’s mobile operating system, and Google has said that it won’t be until Android 3.0 comes out that the platform is optimized for large tablet devices.
Neither Samsung nor any of the carriers have officially announced a release date for the Galaxy Tab, though rumors are pinning it on November 14.
