The public is in for a big showdown between two of the biggest tech companies currently in the market. But while most have an eye out for the Galaxy S8 and the iPhone 8 - which should be good because of retribution and a ten year anniversary, respectively - Samsung and Apple are about to release other notable items. The Galaxy Tab S3 and the iPad Air 3 are going to be two of 2017's biggest releases.
TechRadar notes that Samsung has already confirmed that it will unveil the Galaxy Tab S3 in September this year. However, the specific date and corresponding release to the market is still unknown. In the case of the current Galaxy Tab S2, the tablet was announced July 2015 and released September 2015. So its successor might arrive just before the end of the year.
There is not much else confirmed other than a vague announcement date. Nevertheless, the publication points out that a leaked photo of the Galaxy Tab S3 indicates relatively the same design. That is a 4:3 ration, a home button on the front of the screen and a plastic back. The photos were only of one size, but the unit is expected to come in an 8 inch and 9.7-inch variants.
The other rumored specs of the Galaxy Tab S3 are pretty exciting in themselves. The tablet will apparently come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 processor and a 4000 mAh battery. Furthermore, the device will run on 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Front and rear cameras are expected to hit at least 2 megapixels and 8 megapixels respectively.
The lowest end of the Galaxy Tab S2 is available for about US$399 for the 8-inch variant and about US$499 for the 9.7-inch variant. The Galaxy Tab S3 has no pricing at this point, but at least the same price range is expected. It might even be slightly more expensive, but the jump - should there be one - is not expected to be overwhelming.
Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly working on the third generation of the iPad Air. The Cupertino giant has yet to officially announce the same, but the current generation was released in October 2014. As such, various reports suggest that the next helping of the lineup will be released within the year.
According to IBTimes AU, the iPad Air 3 will arrive in March 2017 in a thinner and lighter body than the current generation. The sleeker design will apparently make it more comfortable to hold and additional color options will be provided as well. But more than the physical and aesthetic changes, Apple is expected to make some necessary alterations to the features as well.
The publication goes on to say that the iPad Air 3 might sport some of the features of the iPhone 7 Plus, particularly the dual lens camera. Other than this, an HD 4K display and 3D Touch technology are also possibilities. In addition, 16GB and 32GB storage memory will be provided. Price is expected to reach about US$610. However, should Apple release the same, it might be the last one in the Air lineup.
