Galaxy Tab too pricey after Verizon announcement?

by Steven Mostyn - Oct 21 2010, 05:45

We've been waiting a long time for this, but, with the Galaxy Tab due to hit retail from November 1 (in Europe), Verizon Wireless has finally announced the price tag it'll be attaching to Samsung's much-anticipated tablet computer.

Specifically, Verizon has said the Galaxy Tab, which includes both 3G and Wi-Fi wireless connectivity, will cost $599 USD and will arrive in the United States on November 11.

Although that pricing does undercut the market-leading iPad (3G/Wi-Fi), which sells for $629 USD, industry analysts have indicated that the Galaxy Tab isn't priced aggressively enough to lure consumers away from Apple's hugely popular platform.

Samsung and Verizon should have priced the Galaxy Tab below $400 USD, according to Avi Greengart of Current Analysis, who explained in a Reuters report that iPad rivals looking to make a dent in Apple's dominance “have to offer something better, different or cheaper.”

He also said that, while the Galaxy Tab is well built and has certain elements not available on the iPad (i.e. support for Adobe Flash and two cameras), the smaller screen and lack of application support provided by the Apple App Store means the lofty price cannot be justified.

It's worth noting that the Galaxy Tab will also be sold through telecommunications providers such as AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint, all of which could beat Verizon's pricing thanks to Samsung allowing device carriers to set their own prices.

Other tablet devices looming large on the horizon, all of which are looking to steal the limelight away from Apple, include the BlackBerry PlayBook from smartphone maker Research In Motion, and an as-yet unnamed second-generation tablet from computer giant Dell.

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