According to a report in the Korean Herald, Samsung has managed to sell over 600,000 Galaxy Tabs since the device launched last month. While it’s a few hundred thousand short of the one million iPads Apple managed sell during that device’s first month on the market, Samsung has to be pleased by the figure. The company had previously announced a goal of a million Tabs sold by the end of the year. “We believe tablet PCs will take over a bigger portion of the market next year,” the head of Samsung’s mobile division said in September. “For this year, we’re projecting to sell up to 1 million units.” With over 30 more days left before 2011 hits, it now looks like that goal is well within Samsung’s reach.
The Galaxy Tab features a 7-inch screen and runs Google’s Android 2.2 Froyo operating system. The device has generated a lot of buzz as it’s seen as the first significant Android-based challenger to Apple’s iPad. The Tab has so far has received generally positive reviews with criticism mainly directed towards its relatively small screen and price.
The Tab is currently on sale in around 30 countries including the US, South Korea, Japan, and Italy. In South Korea, Samsung’s home base, 30,000 some Tabs have been sold so far, according to the report. In the US, the device is now available without a contract for around $600 through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. T-Mobile and Sprint offer subsidized versions for $400 with two year commitments.
For now, Samsung only offers a Wi-Fi+3G model. It’s reported that a Wi-Fi-only had been planned for release this year to be sold through Best Buy, but it now looks like Samsung might have suffered a delay in getting that version on the market.
