In recent years, Samsung has aggressively marketed its Galaxy smartphones and found ways to set themselves apart as the go-to brand for those looking for something different than "just another iPhone". As a result, for many less tech-savvy individuals the "Galaxy" brand has become nearly synonymous with the word Android.
Winning over the smartphone market is impressive, but Samsung has its sights on even more. At a special Analysts Day event held today in South Korea, we learned about Samsung's future tech plans when it comes to CPUs, displays and even cameras.
Beyond that, the company's CEO JK Shin also revealed that their latest goal is to steal the tablet crown from Apple, and become the "most beloved" company in the mobile world. Of course Shin gave no exact time-line for this feat.
For many consumers the iPad is still considered the "gold standard" when it comes to tablets, but Samsung is already starting to catch up. According to Shin, Sammy is expected to sell over 40 million tablets this year, double the amount they sold in 2012.
In contrast, Apple is estimated to sell around 72 million devices this year, versus 65.7 million in 2012. In other words, Apple's tablet growth is starting to slow down, while Samsung is finally starting to see a major jump up in support.
Can Samsung accomplish this goal?
So what stands in Samsung's way? If their growth continues at this rate, we imagine very little. Traditionally though, Android has been known by consumers as a "weaker" platform when it comes to tablet apps, which may have previously held back Samsung's growth.
The good news is that the number of tablet-optimized apps for Android seems to be on the rise and Google has even begun pushing several changes to its Play Store that should help further stimulate the growth of Android tablet apps.
Another area of weakness for Samsung has been its overall specs, particularly when it comes to displays. While Samsung brings its A-game with most of its smartphones, Samsung's tablets are often good but not necessarily "great" when you consider their price tag.
An example of this is the Galaxy Tab 3, which packs a dual-core CPU and a 1024×600 resolution display and yet is only $50 cheaper than the Nexus 7 2013.
Of course, not all Samsung tablets feature lower-end specs and displays — devices like the Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition) come to mind. And if the rumor mill is correct, we could also see unique Samsung tablets in 12 and 13-inch form factors that could also help Samsung gain momentum in the tablet world.
What do you think of Samsung's current tablet efforts, what needs to change if the Korean giant really wishes to topple Apple's throne? Conversely, do you feel that Samsung's tablets are already some of the best Android tablets on the market?
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