Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE hits North America through Canada
updated 12:30 pm EDT, Wed October 19, 2011
Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE now on Canadian Samsung site
Samsung brought the Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE to North America for the first time with a launch in Canada. While no hint as to a ship date other than "coming soon" is visible, the mere presence of the page suggest the 4G-capable tablet could arrive in the country before the US. It's expected the tablet will arrive in both Canada and the US before year's end, however.
The tablet will ship with Android 3.1 at a minimum and sport an 8.9-inch display in a body that weighs 453 grams (just under one pound) and is 8.6mm (0.34in) thick. TouchWiz already comes preloaded on the slate with shortcuts to six Mini Apps anchored to the bottom edge of the screen. Oddly, Samsung claims it uses a Super AMOLED Plus screen despite the device having been unveiled with an LCD and no word of an upgrade.
The Wi-Fi-only Galaxy Tab 8.9 is priced at $470 in the US, though the LTE version may be subsidized through carrier deals and could cost a similar amount or less. Bell and Rogers are the most likely candidates as the first two carriers with LTE in Canada. AT&T and Verizon are possible if or when the smaller tablet reaches the US.
