Samsung Electronics Co. has cut deals with Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp. and AT&T Inc. to carry its new Google-powered tablet computer, three people familiar with the matter said, a significant step as Samsung tries to take on Apple Inc.'s hot-selling iPad.
The distribution deals with the three largest U.S. wireless operators mark a significant win for Samsung as it tries to take on the iPad. A Samsung spokesman declined to comment.
Samsung is scheduled to unveil the Galaxy Tab in the U.S. market at an event at New York City's Time Warner Center on Sep. 16, two people familiar with the matter said.
While a price hasn't been set, Samsung product executive Hankil Yoon said in an interview last week that it would likely retail for between $200 and $300, although the final price would vary depending on different carriers' subsidies. Mr. Yoon expects to ship 10 million units and take a third of the global tablet market next year. Verizon is still considering whether to subsidize the device, a person familiar with the matter said.
Apple's cellular-equipped iPads are only carried on AT&T's network in the U.S. They aren't subsidized by the carrier and sell for $629 to $829. Apple, which also offers Wi-Fi only versions starting at $499, sold 3 million iPads in the device's first 80 days in the market following its launch in early April.
Samsung has been moving away from cutting exclusive deals with wireless operators for its growing slate of mobile devices. It launched its most recent smartphone, the Galaxy, with the top four U.S. wireless operators, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile USA. T-Mobile USA, a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG and the fourth-largest U.S. wireless carrier, hasn't yet worked out a deal to carry the tablet, a person familiar with the matter said.
The Galaxy Tab is essentially an enlarged version of Samsung's new Galaxy S smartphone. The gadget has a seven-inch screen, runs on Google Inc.'s Android software, comes with a cellular connection and features a camera on each side.
Samsung launched the tablet on Sep. 3 at a technology conference in Germany. The tablet will debut in Italy, moving to other markets as Samsung locks in more carrier deals. Vodafone Group PLC, the world's biggest mobile operator, said it would start selling the Galaxy Tab in most of its European markets and a number of its other markets worldwide in October.
Samsung follows Dell Inc., which unveiled its Streak tablet through AT&T last month. More tablets are expected for the holiday selling season.
Via : online.wsj.com
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