Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 8.9in

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Tab 8.9, which at 8.6mm thick will be the world's thinnest tablet,  according to the Korean manufacturer.

The tablet sports an 8.9in form factor as the name suggests, and will come with an WXGA display with a resolution of 1,280 x 800.

Key features include a 1GHz dual-core processor, a front-facing 2-megapixel camera and rear-facing 3-megapixel camera together with an LED Flash and 1080p HD video playback.

Samsung will ship the tablet with Android 3.0 Honeycomb and bundle business apps including Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and Quickoffice HD Editor.

Users will also have full access to the official Android Market, and Samsung said that it is working with Cisco, Sybase, SAP and Citrix to meet the needs of mobile workforces.

The device will be available with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage and will have microSD support up to 32GB. A USB 2.0 port will also be incorporated as will support for Adobe Flash 10.2, HSPA+, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity.

The Galaxy Tab 8.9 has dimensions of 230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6mm and a weight of 470g, making it thinner and lighter than the iPad 2, although it does have a smaller screen.

IHS iSuppli has previously predicted that the sleek design of the iPad 2 would escalate the form factor war between manufacturers, and it appears that Samsung has been the first to respond to Apple.

Samsung has also confirmed that it has redesigned its Galaxy Tab 10.1in, which was unveiled at Mobile World Congress.

Specifications of the device are largely the same, with the exception of the screen size. The dimensions of the latest Tab 10.1 are 256.6 x 172.9 x 8.6mm and, together with a weight of 595g, the device is 0.2mm thinner and 18g lighter than a 3G version of the iPad 2.

Samsung will also sell the original 10.1in Tab, which has a thickness of 10.9mm.

"Following the success of our first 7in tablet device and the growing popularity of Android, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9 are the latest examples of Samsung's ongoing innovation in this market," said Simon Stanford, managing director of mobile at Samsung UK and Ireland.

"We are demonstrating our dedication to designing premium tablets that deliver exciting new user experiences and lead the tablet market in the months and years to come," he said.

V3.co.uk contacted Samsung, but the firm was unable to confirm UK release dates or pricing.