What you need to know
- A leak surfaces after digging through Samsung’s One UI 9 test software, showing a Galaxy Tab animation that fixes its ugly selfie camera.
- Two animations show a supposed Galaxy Tab with a punch-hole selfie camera and thinner bezels.
- Recent Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra suggest Samsung might not change much about it after the S11 Ultra, keeping its 11,600mAh battery and near 15-inch screen.
There are occasions when Samsung’s test software holds would-be secrets about what it’s working on. Recently, reports claim that’s happened again, but about the Galaxy tablets’ selfie camera.
The folks at SamMobile were digging through Samsung’s latest test software (One UI 9) and found what looks like a distinct Galaxy Tab change. The publication states it discovered two animations for an unmarked Galaxy Tab with a new take on the company’s selfie camera. Tablets are typically held long ways, and one animation shows a device with a punch-hole camera. In this animation, the bezels are much thinner.
Android Central’s Take
I like Samsung’s tablets, but one issue I’ve always had was the unsightly notch on the Ultra. It’s ugly. Remember Apple’s iPhone notch? Yeah, right, ugly. A cleaner design like this would look so much better. Samsung would also cut back its bezels in the process, delivering a much more favorable screen-to-body ratio. I’d rather feel like I’m just holding a screen in my hands and not deal with a bezel eye-sore.
The camera’s position doesn’t change. It’s still in the center of the display (when held horizontally). However, the post noted another animation that shifts its camera to the shorter side (on the left). In this version, the punch-hole camera is still fairly clean, like what you’d see on a phone. No notch, no unnecessarily thick bezels. The animations offer a glimpse of a potential future where Samsung’s Galaxy Tabs would feel more immersive and clean.
There have been times before when Samsung’s One UI animations have leaked, showing what rumors claim to be upcoming changes or new devices. We would have to encourage skepticism here, as nothing is confirmed. These are simple animations, after all.
The next Tab
If we’re talking about tablets, it’s hard not to discuss Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12. Rumors started talking about the Tab S12 Ultra, and not in a favorable way. Supposedly, Samsung isn’t looking to drop a major battery upgrade for its next Ultra tablet. Instead, what consumers might see is something closer to the Tab S11 Ultra’s 11,600mAh cell with 45W charging. What’s more, rumors add the S12 Ultra could also feature a 14.6-inch display like its predecessor.
Is this bad? That depends. In our review, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra was the talk of the town. Some aspects could’ve been better. RAM was an issue (and that’s probably not getting better this year), so was its keyboard accessory. One of these issues is easier to fix given the market’s current climate, but it’s still early. As far as design goes, that’s still in the dark.
Could Samsung have this new punch-style ready for the Tab S12? Maybe, but maybe not, too.
