Samsung makes the Galaxy Tab A8 official; 10.5-inch tablet to be released in the U.S. next month

Samsung has made its latest tablet official today by introducing the Galaxy Tab A8. The device comes equipped with a 10.5-inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, sporting thin bezels and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The 80% screen-to-body percentage gives users a more immersive user experience than past models offered. With COVID not going away so easily, tablets remain in demand by office workers and students who are working and learning from home.

Samsung's Matthew Leem, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing Group, MX (Mobile eXperience) Business referred to this in his statement. "In a world where remote working and learning has become the norm, tablets have become an indispensable device for so many," he said.

He added, "They’re the perfect tool for getting more out of our online activities both at home and on the go. We know people are increasingly turning to tablets for video calls, online classrooms, gaming and streaming, so we equipped the Galaxy Tab A8 with brilliant new features to help you connect on a new level."

While Samsung didn't mention the 2GHz Octa-Core chipset powering the new tablet, it did note that both the CPU and GPU are 10% faster than the Snapdragon 662 chipset and Adreno 610 graphics chip employed on the Galaxy Tab A7. Configuration options include 3GB of memory paired with 32GB of storage, 4GB of memory paired with 64GB of storage, and 4GB of memory combined with 128GB of storage.

The Tab A8 also includes a microSD slot that can add as much as 1TB of additional storage. And the 7040mAh capacity battery can fast-charge at 15W. The Tab A8 features an 8MP rear camera, a 5MP front-facing camera for selfies and video chats, and does support Sammy's screen recorder feature.

The device allows users to view two apps side-by-side with a split-screen. For those using the tablet for work or school, Samsung notes that "If you’re in a lecture, you can simultaneously chat with classmates, take notes and view a presentation all at once. And when browsing the internet, simply drag a link from your current window to the side to create a split screen. The Drag & Split feature automatically opens a second browser window for more dynamic webpage browsing."

Samsung Kids brings interactive educational content to the tablet, perfect for this day and age when many of our children are still required to use a tablet to have a safe schooling experience. Whether the tablet is streaming music or a video, it will deliver quality audio thanks to the Galaxy Tab A8’s quad-speaker with Dolby Atmos. And Samsung's TV Plus feature offers Galaxy Tab A8 users more than 200 free television channels to watch.

Of course Samsung will be offering accessories for its new tablet including a Book Cover, a Clear Edge Cover, and a Protective Standing Cover. Users receive two free months of YouTube Premium (assuming that they have never subscribed to that premium service before).

There will be variants of the device that offer Wi-Fi connectivity only, and some models will connect to both Wi-Fi and LTE networks. Android 11 is pre-installed. 

The tablet will be available in Gray, Silver, and new Pink Gold starting later this month in Europe. But fear not U.S. residents! It also will be available in the U.S. starting next month. As for pricing, Samsung didn't include any hints about what the new tablet will cost. Keep in mind that the Wi-Fi only models will be priced lower than the Wi-Fi/LTE variant.