It's common to compare new entry-level Android tablets to iPads — Apple's slates are the juggernauts that all brands try to ape — but 2026 presents a unique opportunity for brands like Samsung.
With Apple raising hardware costs by around 20%, alternative slates from the Android world like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 series are looking more tempting, even if a "vanilla" model isn't expected to release.
However, Samsung launch-date rumors point to a belated release of its upcoming tablets. I was expecting 2026 to be the year of the Galaxy Tab S12, but that news could put it in jeopardy.
An October launch for the Galaxy Tab S12 series
Buy me a tablet when September ends
Samsung has confirmed the Galaxy Tab S12 is on the way, but it never mentioned when. Filling that information void is a claim from respected X leaker @fireuniverse, who points to an October release.
Samsung doesn't maintain a regular cadence of tablet releases. The Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S10 came out in September 2025 and 2024, but that's not always the launch month.
The Galaxy Tab S9 came a little earlier, in July 2023, while the Tab S8 was unveiled in February 2022. So a September release isn't guaranteed for Samsung's tablets.
However, it makes sense. That's the month in which Apple unveils its entry-level slate line, called the "iPad." And, from experience, it's the month in which people start thinking about Black Friday and Christmas buys.
By unveiling its tablets at the same time, Samsung gives buyers an alternative if they don't want to jump into Apple's ecosystem and would rather stick with Android. So an October release would see Samsung trailing Apple.
An opportunity for a viable Android alternative
It's Samsung's battle to lose
On paper, Samsung's tablets are slightly more affordable than iPads. The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra costs $1,299 for its 256GB model, while the same-storage iPad Pro 13-inch unit goes for $200 more.
That extends to cheaper models. The entry-level 128GB iPad goes for $449, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite costs $50 less for the same storage.
But it wasn't always that way. The iPad launched for $100 less, before some price hikes. Until recently, Apple offered the more affordable tablet.
Admittedly, the iPad is faster to use, with a better-thought-out user interface and many apps not on Android. Despite being an Android phone user, I've always preferred iPads, so Samsung is already fighting an uphill battle.
As the runner-up in the tablet race, Samsung needs competitive slates if it's to eat any of Apple's cake. Given the iPad's ubiquity, that'll be the default for buyers unless there's a tempting alternative.
And thanks to said cost increases, Apple handed Samsung the price advantage. Now, a slate buyer who isn't ecosystem-dependent might seriously look to the Tab S10 Lite instead of the iPad.
However, the clocks reset in September, and Samsung can't rely on a current price advantage to maintain the lead when new tablets come out.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite
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**SoC** - Exynos 1380
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**Display dimensions** - 10.9-inch LCD
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**RAM** - 6 or 8GB
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**Storage** - 128 or 256GB
Everything changes with the new tablets
No one wants an older tablet
The Apple iPad line is expected to retain its higher price points when new models release this year. After all, the memory chip crisis hasn't magically been solved, and I've watched prices for many kinds of gadgets skyrocket.
That would, in theory, put the ball in Samsung's court for its Galaxy Tab S12 line, as long as they don't match the price increase. And given that we're not expecting a Tab S12 Lite, the S10 Lite will remain a budget competitor.
However, if those tablets release in October, there will be at least a month in which only Apple has new 2026 slates. Samsung's line will be stuck in 2025.
That's if Apple's tablets come in September, as they often do. Occasionally, the brand drops them earlier, so that time advantage could be extended.
Buyers are more likely to buy new tablets than ones they perceive as old. The Galaxy Tab S10 Lite came out in September 2025, so it'll be over a year old when the Tab S12 line comes out.
That's not to mention the name. "Tab S10" makes this slate sound even older to people who don't follow Samsung's releases. They could assume it's from 2024, when the main Tab S10 came out.
I've reviewed many Samsung slates, and I have trouble keeping track of how Samsung's lineup stands. The proliferation of Lite, Plus, and FE slates, and changing naming conventions, makes it complicated.
Until the Galaxy Tab S12 lineup releases, Samsung's slates will sound old, whereas the iPads will be the brand-new, flashy devices on the market. As a result, many buyers will opt for Apple devices.
An October release is too late for Samsung. To compete with iPads, the slates need to come much earlier and, ideally, include a budget option.
There's another reason Samsung might not compete
Samsung has begun selling its budget tablets at different times to its premium ones. We probably won't see a Lite model released in October; based on convention, that could come in 2027.
A delayed release date isn't the only reason the Galaxy Tab S12 series might struggle to compete with Apple's newest iPads. The lack of an entry-level model won't help either.
Hopefully, Samsung will surprise us with a lineup reshuffle. But money-conscious buyers may as well stick to budget Samsung slates like the Galaxy Tab A11+.