Samsung Electronics is the world’s second-largest cellphone maker after Finland’s Nokia but trails Apple’s iPhone and iPad in smartphones and tablets.
The iPad surprised competitors with the success of its launch early last year. Samsung responded by choosing Android for its tablets and introduced the seven-inch (17.8 centimetre) Galaxy Tab in October 2010 to take on Apple.
Samsung will launch new versions of the Galaxy Tab this summer in an 8.9-inch and 10.1-inch model. Both will run the latest version of Android, known as Honeycomb.
Samsung expects its tablet shipments to rise about fivefold this year to 7.5 million. Market data provider IHS iSuppli forecast in April that Apple’s iPad shipments would reach 39.7 million this year.
“Android is the fastest-growing platform and the market direction is headed toward Android so we’re riding the wave,” said Younghee Lee, senior vice president of sales and marketing. (AFP)