Samsung has announced that its Galaxy Tab tablet computer has sold a million units. The news appears to position the seven-inch device as the main competitor for Apple’s category-dominating iPad — at least for now.
The Tab was launched worldwide in mid-October, and began selling in the U.S. in the middle of last month. Apple’s iPad has sold about 7.2 million units since its launch in April.
End Users or Channels?
Avi Greengart, an analyst with industry research firm Current Analysis, pointed out that Samsung hasn’t made clear how many of the million units were sold to end users or to distribution channels. Obviously, end-user sales are more impressive.
He also noted that, even if it’s end-user sales, a head-to-head comparison with the iPad doesn’t yet account for the all-important holiday sales season. Samsung is estimating it will sell another half million by the end of this month. The iPad sold about two million iPads within its first two months.
But the rate of sales, as announced by Samsung, is already impressive. Two weeks ago, the company said it had sold 600,000 units and, at that time, was projecting one million in sales by the end of 2010.
The Tab utilizes Google’s open-source Android operating system, supports Adobe Flash, and is being distributed by the big four U.S. wireless carriers — AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, and Sprint. The iPad is handled by two carriers, AT&T and Verizon, as well as by Apple and other retailers.
Greengart said that, while the Tab has a seven-inch screen and the iPad’s is 9.7 inches, the difference when they are side by side is dramatic. “You can literally fit two Tabs onto an iPad,” he said.
‘Tab Is a Success’
Greengart described the Tab as “a very nice tablet,” adding that if a user has limited needs and wanted a smaller form…