The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is all display, literally

Here’s a good look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. This is a tablet that has been widely reported on in the last few months and one that’s expected to launch soon enough. Up until now, however, almost no leaked images have come through. To remedy this situation, here’s an official press render which provides a very clean look at the front and back of the new Galaxy Tab S4. The image was provided to AndroidHeadlines by a reliable source.

Previously, it had been suggested the Galaxy Tab S4 will launch in two colors, black and gray. While AndroidHeadlines cannot speak of the latter, this image does confirm black will certainly be one of the main color options when the tablet becomes available. From the back, there seems to be very little difference when comparing the new model to the Galaxy Tab S3 as they both sport the same overall design, and the same rear camera placement. Although the logo on the back of the device has changed somewhat as it has now moved further down. Resulting in the “Tuned by AKG” logo seen on the Tab S3 replaced with “Samsung | Tuned by AKG.” This paints a slightly different picture to the recent FCC image that surfaced which now suggests the one used in the FCC filing was more likely a Tab S3 placeholder image. The power and volume buttons on the side remain in an identical position to the previous model. No change.


The front of the Galaxy Tab S4 is another story altogether. As this is where some very obvious changes can be seen. Firstly, the Galaxy Tab S4 is all about the display as the screen is now far more prominent than on any earlier Galaxy Tab S model. Previous rumors have pointed to a 10.5-inch panel, and if correct, this would mean the display is bigger than that found on the Galaxy Tab S3 (9.7-inches). Again, if correct, then it seems likely this tablet does not feature a traditional aspect ratio as the display-to-overall-size difference does not tally with the Galaxy Tab S3. The knock-on effects of this are equally as important to note, as in addition to the display stretching out to cover more of the front of the device, all of the other front-facing elements (bar the camera) have vanished when compared to the Galaxy Tab S3. This means no “Samsung” logo on the top bezel. One of the reasons for this might be the inclusion of an iris scanner. This is a feature that had previously been rumored for the Galaxy Tab S4, and although this should not be taken as a confirmation – it does very much look like an iris scanner is on show with this latest render – positioned in a similar place to where it’s located on the Galaxy S smartphone line.

More notably, however, is the seemingly complete absence of a home button on the chin. While the Samsung logo may be present when the finished product is unveiled, based on the image provided, the chin does not look sufficiently large enough to comfortably house a home key. So, it seems highly unlikely a physical home button will be on offer with the new model. This would mark a major design departure for the Galaxy Tab S line, and one which immediately raises another question – what about the fingerprint sensor? Previously, it had been expected the Tab S4 would feature a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button, although without a physical home key, that seems less likely to be the case. Of course, Samsung may opt for an under-display fingerprint sensor, and especially as it seems as though virtual buttons are going to be in use. But if that is the case, then it would be a very big feature for the Galaxy Tab S4 as Samsung has yet to launch a product with an under-display fingerprint sensor. While the Galaxy Note 9 is coming up and expected to launch either with or before the Tab S4, the rumors on the Galaxy Note 9 seem very undecided on whether the new phone will feature the under-display solution or not. Based on this image, however, it would seem clear the Galaxy Tab S4 either does feature an under-display sensor, or it does not have a sensor at all. While a side-mounted fingerprint reader embedded into the tablet's power button may be possible in theory — given how both Sony and Motorola managed to commercialize this type of solution in the past — it seems less likely here as there seems to be no deviation in the size of the power key compared to the previous model.

At present, there is nothing new to add when it comes to the specs but drawing on the rumors that have come through to date, the Galaxy Tab S4 is expected to feature 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, a 7,300 mAh capacity battery, and Android 8.1 (Oreo). This is in addition to a 13-megapixel rear camera, and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. While most of these can be considered natural improvements considering what the Galaxy Tab S3 offered, the Galaxy Tab S4 is also slated to come loaded with some additional features, such as Samsung DeX support. In spite of Samsung already having announced an August 9 product launch, most indications point to an IFA 2018 unveiling for the Galaxy Tab S4.