The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite was arguably the most exciting upper mid-range Android tablet of 2020, coming with a stylus, modern design and plenty of great One UI features. And now in 2021, Samsung is expected to improve upon that already fantastic mid-ranger with its successor – the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Lite. Here is all we know about the upcoming upper mid-range Android tablet right now.
As we don't expect it to have significant design changes or major improvements over its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite will likely also be priced at around $350.
There's also an optimistic chance that Samsung will actually make this tablet cheaper, judging by the fact that the Korean company's 2021 Galaxy S21 smartphones were released at a $200 price decrease over last year's S20.
If a rumored large Galaxy Tab S7 Lite 5G variant happens, it will be more expensive, however.
Galaxy Tab S7 Lite name
Although the tablet is most likely going to be named "Galaxy Tab S7 Lite", there's a chance that Samsung may release it as the "Galaxy Tab S8e" instead, as some sources have suggested. Alternatively, it could be named the "Galaxy S7 FE".
Currently we speculate that the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite will be released in the second half of 2021. Its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite was released on May 5th of 2020, but this year a small delay can be expected judging by a leaked Samsung mini-roadmap, which specifically shows that the Tab S7 Lite is slated for June 2021.
In a mid-February leak, it was suggested that a 12.4-inch Galaxy Tab S7 Lite with 5G may indeed be the previously-rumored larger variant. Its larger screen is said to boast a 2560 x 1600 display resolution like the flagship Galaxy Tab S7.
Galaxy Tab S7 Lite design and software features
In mid-April, leaked Galaxy Tab S7 Lite 5G renders showed off its design in full, courtesy of Evan Blass. We can see that from the front, the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite has remained the same as its predecessor, but on the back, its design has changed to be more similar to 2019's flagship Galaxy Tab S6.
The Galaxy Tab S7 Lite now appears to have dual back cameras and its magnetized spot for the included S Pen stylus has been moved next to the camera module. That S Pen spot previously used to be on the top frame of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite.
Along with that, we can see that the Samsung and AKG logos on the back of the tablet are no longer in portrait orientation, but in landscape, and the Samsung logo has been moved to the top left corner of the tablet. It appears that we still have one antenna line on the side of the Tab S7 Lite, similarly to its predecessor, which however had two, one on each side. Overall, the new Tab S7 Lite shapes up to look just like a modern flagship tablet. However, we're yet to know if this design will only be reserved for the 5G version of the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite, or all of its variants will look like this.
The Galaxy Tab S7 Lite will come with an S Pen out of the box, like its predecessor, although the inclusion of a charging brick is up for speculation. This S Pen does not require charging and can magnetically snap on the back of the tablet for transportation, in a designated spot next to the cameras.
As for the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite color options, judging by the leaked design images, it will have the Oxford Gray color as its predecessor, possibly renamed to Mystic Black. It's safe to assume that like the S6 Lite, the Tab S7 Lite will also be offered in Angora Blue and Chiffon Pink. However, rumors have alternatively suggested that the Tab S7 Lite will be offered in silver, pink, and green. Perhaps its different variants will come in different color options, with the Tab S7 Lite 5G likely to only feature two, one being the color shown in the leak above.
In terms of software, the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite will presumably be running Android 10 and One UI 3 or more optimistically – Android 11. Samsung's One UI software comes with great multitasking capabilities, including windowed apps and split screen, which supports up to three apps running on the screen at once (in addition to widowed apps).
The Galaxy Tab S7 Lite will also come with the same useful S Pen-focused software features we had on the S6 Lite. The S Pen has a clicky button, which if pressed near the tablet can open up a menu with shortcuts to create a note, take a screenshot and draw on it, and more.
Galaxy S7 Lite specifications
We don't have official information on which processor Samsung will power the Tab S7 Lite with, but in general we can reasonably expect the tablet to have similar specifications to the S6 Lite, albeit with minor improvements:
10.4-inch IPS LCD display, 2000 x 1200 / 12.4-inch IPS LCD at 2560 x 1600 for the 5G variant
Samsung Exynos processor or Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G for the 5G variant
4GB or 6GB of RAM
128GB of base storage
MicroSD slot for expandable memory (up to 1000GB)
8MP main camera, unspecified wide-angle camera, 5MP selfie camera
S Pen stylus support
Dual stereo speakers
45W fast charging
The 3.5mm headphone jack may have been removed judging by the latest design leak, which shows this tablet using a Tab S6-like design. The Tab S6 did not include a headphone jack, but on the upside, it did have a keyboard connector. Thus we may see one on the Tab S7 Lite, which would make it a better competitor to the budget iPad, as it too has one.
Rado, a tech enthusiast with a love for mobile devices, brings his passion for Android and iPadOS to PhoneArena. His tech journey began with MP3 players and has evolved to include tinkering with Android tablets and iPads, even running Linux and Windows 95 on them. Beyond tech, Rado is a published author, music producer, and PC game developer. His professional work on iPads, from producing songs to editing videos, showcases his belief in their capabilities. Rado looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly in augmented reality and multi-screen smartphones.
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