Img/2012/4/12/Samsung-275.jpgNew York: Samsung Electronics Co., Apple`s biggest competitor in the market for iPad-sized tablet computers, is updating its line to include a feature that lets a tablet act as a universal remote control for an entertainment center.
The storage space on the new Galaxy Tab 2 will also be expandable with small memory cards.
The tablets will come in two sizes. The 7-inch version will cost $250 and goes on sale April 22. The 10-inch version will cost $400 and goes on sale May 13.
Apple Inc.`s competitors are experimenting with different tablet sizes and features as they try to come up with a way to challenge the iPad`s commanding lead in sales. Toshiba Corp. this week revealed a tablet with a 13-inch screen, essentially putting a laptop-sized screen in a tablet. The iPad has a screen that measures 9.7 inches diagonally.
iPads accounted for nearly 60 percent of the tablet computers sold last year, according to research firm IDC.
Apple`s closest competitor in the overall tablet market is Amazon.com Inc., but its Kindle Fire is half the size of the iPad and less than half the price, putting it in a somewhat different category. Of the manufacturers that make tablets in the same size range as the iPad, Samsung has the largest share.
The iPad doesn`t have expandable memory or the infrared diode that will let the Samsung`s models control a TV set or cable box. Instead, the chief new feature of Apple`s new iPad, released last month, is an ultra-high-resolution screen.
The updated Samsung models won`t have higher-resolution screens, even though analysts believe Samsung is one of the sources for the new iPad screen.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, April 12, 2012, 09:21