Today sees the Australian launch of the tablet device which global gadget blog Engadget has labelled “the first true competitor to Apple’s iPad” — Samsung’s Galaxy Tab. But what information is currently available about how much the Android tablet will cost Australians? The answer: Not much.
In late September, Samsung revealed the 3G broadband-enabled Galaxy Tab would launch through all of Australia’s carriers for a recommended retai price of $999 for the 16GB model. Last week, the company confirmed the tablet’s launch date as today. However, as of this morning, none of Australia’s mobile telcos have released plans or pricing for the tablet.
Spokespeople from Telstra, Optus and VHA have been invited to comment on their planned respective pricing options for the device. Telstra and Optus haven’t yet responded on the issue, while a VHA spokesperson confirmed the company would launch the device shortly, but couldn’t yet confirm pricing.
However, Optus’ pricing on the device, at least, may have been inadvertently leaked through the website of electronics retailer Harvey Norman. The company is currently advertising the Galaxy Tab on a $59.95 Optus monthly plan, for zero dollars upfront and with 10GB per month of downloads included. This option is listed as being available from this Wednesday 10 November.
Alternatively, customers can pay $999 upfront for the Galaxy Tab from Harvey Norman — although the retailer does not mention whether the Tab will be unlocked for use by any carrier. The outright option is listed as being available in December.
Blog Android Australia has also published what it said was a leak of Telstra’s Galaxy Tab pricing — although the telco has not confirmed whether the prices are accurate.
The company will offer three Galaxy Tab plans, according to the blog — a $29 monthly plan with 1GB of data, a $49 plan with 7GB of data, and a $79 plan with 12GB of data. However, unlike the Optus $59.95 plan — if the pricing plans are legitimate — Telstra will also charge a repayment cost for the Galaxy Tab — $25 per month extra on the $29 and $49 plans, or $15 a month on the $79 plan.
The known pricing of the Galaxy Tab so far makes it more expensive than the device which will likely be its biggest rival — Apple’s iPad. The 16GB iPad model with 3G broadband sells for $799 in Australia, with the 32GB and 64GB models going for $928 and $1,049 respectively.
However, the potential exists for some of the up-front cost to be cut out of the device through subsidised carrier pricing, as it could be sold by carriers in a similar way to mobile phones. In comparison, the iPad is only available to buy outright, with pre-paid browsing packs added on by the telcos.
Telstra currently charges $30 for a prepaid 3G SIM card for the iPad, with 1GB of data included. Recharge pricing is then available in varying amounts, according to the telco’s site, ranging from $20 for 1GB of data up to $100 for 12GB of data. All of Telstra’s recharge packs expire after 30 days.
Optus offers a wider range of pre-paid packs for the iPad, including a popular $80 recharge that gives a customer 8GB of data over six months. Vodafone has a similar recharge pack — costing $100 for 6GB of data over six months, as well as a $150 recharge pack that comes with 12GB of data over a year.
Image credit: Samsung
As long as I can play Pocket Empires on it, I want one!
It’s actually a really awesome device — certainly comparable to the iPad, and in many ways better. I have a review unit I’m testing out at the moment.
I like the fact that the telcos can subsidise the price ;)
Do you know if these units are going to be locked to the carriers, ala mobile phones?
No — but I’ll try and find out from Samsung today.
The Optus deal looks interesting, although as you imply it’s maddening trying to find much in the way of detail about it on their website! I wonder if they’ll do a 12 month contract too instead of 24? Some of the iPad pay-as-you-go options aren’t too bad either so hopefully they offer them too.
One question though .. the Tab is enabled for voice in Aus, right? (unlike in the US). What sort of included minutes/call rates etc will you get for the $59? Or will you be required to top it up with a voice contract too?
Just seen the update to your other post showing the data plans. Same question applies to voice though (unless I’m simply being thick and missed it ;-) )
The Tab definitely does do voice … I slipped my Telstra iPhone SIM in it and was calling people fine. I don’t know how that translates to the telco plans though — will ask.
cheers. The Tab uses a micro-SIM, right? From what I can tell the standard plans look to be data plans but maybe that’s just the sparse info currently available at the mo.
Your information with respect to Telstra’s prepaid recharge credit is only correct with respect to the iPad – if you look at the offering with the T-Touch Tab; the offering is different as the device does Voice/SMS. Watch this space I say!
Renai: How are you finding the scaling of regular Android apps to the Galaxy Tab’s 1024×600 screen? I’ve heard that some have a border, while others are scaled to fullscreen?
Still not seeing anything like the US plans where you pay about $499 upfront and much lower ongoings via a monthly data plan.
Telstra are still heavily pushing their T-Touch tab thingy instead of their Galaxy Tab offering today. I’m not sure why anyone would buy it even a T-Touch even if it is priced cheaply. The T-touch is warm or hot to the touch (horrible compared to something like an ipad), but touch is an oxymoron as you have to press really hard for any response at all from the unit. Worse still is attempting to get any accuracy from the onboard keyboard.
Looks like Optus are doing a fantastic job in stuffing up the launch of this. Reports are of Harvey Norman getting the run-around from them on plan information, delivery dates seem to have gone out of the window, the Optus stores themselves haven’t been briefed, the SIM is voice-locked(!) and despite the fact that other plans _will_ work with the Tab you’re not allowed to buy them.
Anyone would think Optus had their own (crappy) tablet to push instead … oh, wait …
Yeah, to be honest, I haven’t seen a lot of work from Optus having gone into this — they could be doing a lot better for such a hot device.
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