While other big tablets like the iPad Pro and Surface Pro 4 are geared toward productivity, Samsung is pitching this device as an entertainment hub. Baked right into the interface is a quick launch screen for popular streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, ESPN, and Twitch.
Interestingly, it looks like Samsung opted for on-screen navigation buttons, ditching its physical home button and software keys.
As indicated from the graphic, the 18.4-inch screen has a 1080p (1920x1080) display. Other specs include a 1.6Ghz octa-core processor and a front-facing camera with a resolution of 2.1MP. You can get 32 or 64GB of storage, but expand it with a microSD slot. The SIM card tray will come in handy if you want to connect the tablet to a data plan for always-ready streaming.
Samsung’s blog post doesn’t indicate a price or timeline for availability, so we’ll watch out for that and update when we have more information.
Why this matters: Samsung loves to go big. The company pioneered large phones with the Galaxy Note line, and now anything below a 5.2-inch smartphone screen is considered small. It’s hard to say if the same type of trend will take off with big tablets, as not everyone will be down with needing two hands anytime they want to pull up a video or check their email. But if there’s a market out there for those who want a giant tablet, Samsung is ready to fill it.