Samsung is getting ready to introduce an Android tablet that plays off the success of its Galaxy S smartphones. The long-rumored device was confirmed Tuesday when Samsung launched a web site and a short video teaser for the tablet.

Samsung's video sets out to get attention with a provoking question that aims right at the heart of Apple's iPad: "Need More?" The video uses phrases like "Rugmented Reality" to describe the device, which will launch in Berlin on Sept. 2.

Dubbed the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the iPad competitor will offer a seven-inch touchscreen and run on Android 2.2. The tablet uses Samsung's popular Swype software that promises faster text input. The Tab offers HD movie playback, navigation, augmented reality, e-reading capabilities, and a PC-like browsing experience.

More Cameras

"No one is going to cede that market to Apple without a fight," said Michael Gartenberg, a partner at Altimeter Group. "It's hard to get a good sense based on the teaser Samsung put out there of how this will compete. We'll have to really see what they've done and how they are going to distinguish and differentiate."

One of the ways the Samsung Tab plans to differentiate is with two cameras and the ability to make video calls. However, the brief commercial, which plays repeatedly on Samsung's mini-site for the product, doesn't give any details about the video-sharing software or the camera resolution.

"Samsung could offer differentiation through hardware, either in terms of the type of screen or offering voice capabilities," Gartenberg said. "The question is, will those be features that matter only on paper, or will they be features that resonate with the consumer?"

The iPad Comparison

Apple has sold millions of iPads, so it's no surprise that Samsung would launch a tablet with a design that appears at least somewhat similar to the market-leading device. One difference between the two tablets is size. Samsung's tablet is slightly smaller than the iPad, making it more portable. Rumors in the market suggest Apple could respond with a smaller iPad.

The Samsung Tab may fall somewhere between the Dell Streak and the iPad in terms of market success. Analysts don't expect Samsung to dethrone Apple, but the Tab appears to be a more appealing form factor than the Streak in early reviews of the products.

"One of the challenges that Samsung is going to have is not just taking the standard Android user experience and putting it on a larger screen; they are going to have to show how they have optimized for that tablet form factor, much like Apple did with the iPad," Gartenberg said. "The most important thing Samsung is going to have to do is optimize for this form factor and make sure there's enough applications available that take advantage of the tablet."

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