Alcatel, Lenovo, HP and Samsung all boost 2-in-1, tablet offerings at MWC in Barcelona
While the traditional tablet market has had a tough go of it lately, some industry watchers do see growth ahead particularly in the 2-in-1 detachables sector, and the batch of new devices shown at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week could play a big role in any such revival.
While most of the new smartphones demoed at MWC were of the Android variety, tablet makers gave Windows some love as well with possible Microsoft Surface alternatives. (Apple, as usual, didn’t display at MWC, but is said to have new iPads in the works.)
MORE: Android struggling in tablets as Windows 10 2-in-1s come on strong
Here’s a look at some of the more alluring tablets and 2-in-1s unveiled at MWC 2017.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 and Galaxy Book
The Tab S3 comes with a 9.7-inch Super AMOLED display, while the Books come in 10.6- and 12-inch versions (the smaller with an LCD screen, the larger with a Super AMOLED one). The tablets support High Dynamic Range video content, Samsung Flow technology for transferring documents between mobile devices, and a refined S Pen for writing on screen. A 13mp rear camera and 5mp front camera are supported across the tablets. The Tab S3, running Android 7.0 and boasting quad speakers, is more of a consumer/entertainment/gaming devices, whereas the Windows 10-powered 2-in-1 Books come with keyboards and are more designed for a mix of consumer and professional use. Pricing and availability info to come…
Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Lenovo Tab 4 and 4 Plus tablets
Lenovo introduced four Android tablets at the show, including 8- and 10-inch varieties. The one ear-popping new feature in the new devices is inclusion of Dolby Atmos speakers that aren’t shy on sound. The higher end tablets in the bunch are the Tab 4 8 Plus and 10 Plus, which feature USB-Type C ports and 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chips. The entry-level Tab 4 8 and 10 models have a quarter of the storage (16GB) and half the RAM (2GB) of the higher-end editions. All models have 5mp front cameras and 8mp rear ones. The Plus models support 802.11ac Wi-Fi and the lower-end models 802.11n, and both have an option for LTE connectivity. Keyboards, purchased separately, can be attached to all models. Pricing ranges from about $180 to $315.
HP Pro x2 612 G2
For starters, this 2-in-1 detachable Windows 10 offering with a 12-inch display is way more attractive than its name. This second generation product can be set up for presentations with a magnetically-attached keyboard and a kickstand, or taken apart to become a tablet, possibly used with a stylus for writing on the screen. With business security in mind, HP designed the device with a built-in smart card reader, its security suite software and an optional fingerprint sensor. The device is powered by the latest in Intel 7th generation core processors. Comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It weighs under 2 pounds without the keyboard and a little more than 2.5 with one.
HP HP’s Pro x2 convertible will offer Intel 7th-generaion Kaby Lake CPUs.
The device starts at $980, though the models displayed on HP’s website get up into the $1,400 to $1,700 range.
Alcatel Plus 12
This Windows 10 business 2-in-1 device features an 11.6-inch full HD touchscreen display and its 4G LTE keyboard can serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 15 devices. Ports include USB-C, USB-A, micro-HDMI and an audio jack for connecting all sorts of peripherals.
The device, which weighs in at just over 2 pounds with the keyboard attached, is powered by an Intel Celeron N3350 CPU. The Plus 12 has a 5mp front camera, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
Pricing and availability to come.
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