Korean computer makers vying to lead tablet PC market
By Kim Tong-hyung
It seemed destined to be the year of the smartphones, but tablets ― the new breed of lightweight, touch-screen computers that everyone is suddenly talking about ― look increasingly convincing in a late push.
Tablets aren’t entirely new, but have never been considered a massive money-spinner until now, as the technology industry hangs its hopes on the Apple iPad to do for these slate-like devices what the iPhone did for smartphones.
The iPad, at least in the early run, seems to be living up to its lofty expectations, with Apple reporting more than 4 million of them being sold worldwide. And electronics makers around the world are beginning to flood the market with similar products, with the Koreans being no exception.
New tablet devices were announced by three Korean companies just last week, highlighted by Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Tab that was revealed at the IFA conference in Berlin, as they attempt to get quickly out of the gate in tablets and prevent Apple from cementing its dominant hold.
In developing their keyboard and mouse-free devices, the companies admit to relying heavily on the playbook written by Apple, focusing on enabling users to watch videos, play games, browse the Web and read electronic books (e-books).
But they also provide a wealth of fresh functions, such as video calls, mobile television and stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) images, that the companies hope will be enough to differentiate their products from the iPad.
LG Electronics, Korea’s other technology giant, and Trigem Computer, a midsized computer maker, are also planning to unveil their first tablet computers soon.
``Tablets appear to be injecting new growth in the market for mobile devices. They provide enough functions and power to replace a significant chunk of the demand for `netbooks’ (mini laptops) and their improved mobility is also a distinctive strength,’’ said Lee Sun-hak, an analyst from Mirae Asset Securities.
``These devices could be used for providing video games and location-based information services such as vehicle navigation, so the market is expected to grow quickly at first. The increased appetite for the mobile Internet inspired by smartphones will only help.’’
More than just iPad clones
It remains to be seen whether the Galaxy Tab will have a prayer of competing with the iPad, but observers are noting that Samsung’s first try at a tablet looks impressive.
The device runs on the Google-backed Android operating system, which is the industry’s best bet for challenging Apple’s supremacy in mobile Internet devices, with a capacity of 16 or 32 gigabytes, expandable by 32 gigabytes more. It weighs 380 grams and has a 7-inch screen, making it smaller and lighter than the iPad, apparently tailored for fashionistas who would worry about their bags getting bulkier.
The Galaxy Tab can connect to third generation (3G) cellular networks as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and is equipped with Samsung’s ``Reader’s Hub’’ for e-books, ``Media Hub’’ for music and videos, and ``Social Hub’’ for connecting with social media services such as Facebook (www.facebook.com).
Other distinctive features include video calls, support for Flash video, which Apple has venomously refused to incorporate in its iPads, and the ability to stream content to televisions.
KT, the mobile-phone operator that exclusively provides Apple’s mobile devices here and expects to release iPads with cellular network connectivity soon, is hedging its bets in tablets as it promotes the Identity Tab, a 7-inch tablet that is powered by Android. The device, developed by mid-sized device maker, Enspurt, is powered by a 1-gigahertz processor with a capacity of 8 gigabytes, although expandable by external memory. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are aboard as well as WiBro, the portable broadband technology that is the local variant of mobile WiMAX.
Its most distinctive feature is the built-in digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) mobile television tuner, but weak battery power, which supports only to three-and-a-half hours of video play, compared to iPad’s 10-plus hours, is clearly a letdown.
KT believes that Identity Tab’s modest price-tag of 490,000 won (about $418), or 27,000 won per month on a two-year WiBro contract, would allow it to establish a niche among cost-conscious customers.
``Considering that tablets will be a second or third device for many users already carrying laptop computers and smartphones, delivering bang for the buck is important, and the Identity Tab certainly does that,’’ said Lee Kyung-soo, the head of KT’s WiBro business unit.
``We will continue to release devices such as tablets to exploit the strengthening trend of convergence between hardware and software.’’
The quirkiest products belong to iStation, which recently unveiled three 5-inch Android-powered tablets that are to be released later this year, a bold gamble considering that seven inch screens have become the norm in the Android clan of devices.
The standout among iStation’s products is the Z3D, which the company claims will be the world’s first 3D-enabled tablet when it arrives on the shelves in November.
Company officials believe that their 3D tablet, which will be sold at around 600,000 won, will become a niche product for consumers with a 3D appetite but turned off by the lavish prices of the current stereoscopic televisions. However, it remains to be seen whether they will be crazy about the idea of trotting out the door wearing clunky glasses to squint at ``Avatar’’ on a tiny screen.
As with the competition in smartphones, tablets are less about hardware than about the software and services that run on them, and this is where the iPad holds a distinctive edge over the Korean products.
Apple boasts a massive developers’ network that has provided more than 220,000 applications on its App Store content platform for its mobile devices, and is currently building a separate platform for software products tailored for devices with larger screens, such as its iPad. The Android Market, on the other hand, now barely has 100,000 applications, and unlike Apple, Google has yet to provide a separate platform for tablet content.
Samsung’s decision to use a display that supports 1024x600 WSVGA pixel resolution for its Galaxy Tab may also backfire, as such specifications aren’t supported under Google’s compatibility standard for developing content.
This has most other Android tablet makers going for an 800x480 pixel screen, but Samsung clearly wanted better picture quality for its initial tablet. The cost for providing better pictures could be distorted images and misplaced menu buttons on applications that aren’t compatible.
Samsung plans to deal with the problem by offering its own software development kit (SDK), but the disadvantage in content will only widen until Google provides its own specialized SDK for developing content for Android tablets.
At least the Galaxy Tab can access the Android Market ― neither the Identity Tab nor any of the iStation devices have been approved by Google to use its content platform.
The Identity Tab, which KT says will get the green-light from Google as early as the end of this month, will be able to use the carrier’s own content platform, but iStation, which has yet to partner with any mobile-phone carrier, finds itself at the mercy of Google.
``It seems that Google doesn’t have enough engineers to quicken the CPS reviewing process of devices from smaller makers like us. We are continuing to talk with wireless carriers over a possible partnership, and could be installing 3G modules in our products,’’ said an iStation representative.