No Samsung Ativ Tab for Aussies

Samsung won’t launch the third device in its Ativ Windows 8 range in Australia, the Ativ Tab tablet, despite its other two Ativ products already being on the local market.

Samsung debuted the range globally in late August last year, offering a smartphone, laptop hybrid - business and consumer versions - and tablet to coincide with the launch of Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system.

The Ativ S smartphone arrived in Australia in early December through Optus, major retailers and Samsung’s own-branded outlets. The business-focused Smart PC notebook hybrid and its consumer-focused Smart PC sister landed in mid-December.

Samsung at the time stayed quiet on availability of its tablet Ativ Tab. Today it confirmed to CRN the device would not be launched in Australia but gave no explanation.

Managing director of Samsung reseller Complete PC Solutions, Frank Triantafyllou, told CRN Samsung had not explained the decision to him but said the company could be responding to lesser demand for standalone Windows 8 tablets over hybrids.

He said to date he'd seen more interest and demand for convertible products compared to tablets.

“I think [HP’s] Envy X2 or the Samsung Ativ Smart PC Pro could do better than tablets. If you really want to compete against Apple you’ve got to have a strong advantage, and the keyboard as well as Windows 8 are advantages,” he said.

“Or they might just be watching to see what happens with the Surface.”

The Ativ Tab is a 10.1in tablet with a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, 5MP back and 1.9MP front camera, running Windows RT.