Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Want the new S Pen without the exploding phone? You’ll love the 2016 Galaxy Tab A tablet

Julian Chokkattu
By

galaxy tab a 2016 news
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Samsung knows the S Pen that comes with the Galaxy Note 7 is a considerable improvement on the older versions, so it has decided to release a Galaxy Tab A (2016) tablet that comes with the updated S Pen stylus as well. Rumored for a while, the tablet has now been officially announced in Korea, but details are lacking on whether an international release will follow. That’s no reason not to lust after one though, so here’s what it’s all about.

Galaxy Tab A S Pen
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The S Pen is the standout feature, and what separates the new Galaxy Tab A from older models without the stylus. Samsung’s new S Pen has a thinner and more precise tip than ever before, operates a revised menu system on the display, can be used to scrawl notes on the lock screen, and has various new features too. These include a translation mode, where hovering the pen over a foreign word will bring up a Google translation.

Recommended Videos

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A has a 10.1-inch display with a strong 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, and is powered by a 1.6Ghz octa-core processor, which although it’s not stated is likely to be one of Samsung’s own Exynos chips. There’s 3GB of RAM to help out, and a total of 32GB internal storage memory, plus the chance to pop in a MicroSD card up to 256GB in size. Android 6.0 Marshmallow is installed, which isn’t quite the latest version, but an update may come in the future. Samsung has added its own multi-user and kid-friendly modes to the Galaxy Tab A, making it easier for a family to enjoy the tablet.

Related

It’s great to see the Galaxy Tab A equipped with a SIM card slot for on-the-move 4G LTE connectivity, but unfortunately the cool magnetic book-style cover is an extra, and there’s no obvious place to store the S Pen either. Other features include an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera, and a 7,300mAh battery that should return about 13 hours of use before needing a recharge.

The Galaxy Tab A costs the equivalent of $430 in South Korea, where it’ll go on sale in September. If there’s any change regarding the tablet’s international release, we’ll let you know right here.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Julian Chokkattu
Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
5 things I want to see in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and S Pen stylus on its screen.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is definitely one of the best smartphones on the market right now, no doubt about that. You get incredible performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, plenty of RAM and storage, a whopping 200MP camera, two telephoto lenses for 3x and 5x optical zoom, S Pen integration, and more. It’s certainly an impressive package.

But it’s not perfect. In fact, some weaknesses could be improved in the next version, the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Here’s what I hope to see next year.
A new design
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and Galaxy S23 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more
When is my phone getting Android 14? Here’s everything we know
Android 14 logo on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Android 14 is out now, and as usual, the first to get it was Google's own Pixel phone family. Not to be undone, Samsung pushed out its version of Android 14 — One UI 6 — after a relatively short beta period and has seemingly now completed its Android 14 rollout. Nothing, the new phone company on the block, has done the same. Now, we're just waiting for more news from Motorola, who has become the stick in the mud holding everyone up.

If you're rocking an Android phone that is still stuck on an old build, here's everything we know about official Android 14 rollout plans for all major brands available in the U.S. market. We recommend using your device's Find on page function to pinpoint your device on this list.

Read more
5 things that made me fall in love with the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Gray in hand.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Orange Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

One of the top smartphones on the market right now is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and it’s easy to see why. It’s blazing fast thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and is packed with a ton of powerful features. It has a quad camera system with an impressive 200MP main shooter and a new 50MP periscope telephoto, plus an absolutely gorgeous display.

Read more