Samsung Mobile said Monday that it will be releasing a new version of its 7-inch tablet called the Galaxy Tab 2, which will run Android 4, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, and is expected to retail for $350.

The company has not announced the suggested pricing for the HSPA+ model. It expects to ship both models in March.

Although the Galaxy Tab 2 will be running the latest version of Google's Android, a comparison of the new device's specs with those of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 released last September shows that the new model will have less-capable features than the previous model.

Partly Offense, Partly Defense

For example, the new Galaxy Tab 2 will integrate a 1 GHz dual-core processor and front-facing VGA camera in place of the higher speed 1.4 GHz dual core chip and a 2-megapixel camera featured in the original Galaxy Tab 7.7 tablet.

The new model will have a conventional TFT screen instead of the prior AMOLED display and offer 1024x600-pixel resolution as opposed to the higher definition 1280x800p capabilities offered by the Galaxy Tab 7.7.

"Samsung's new Tab 2 is partly offensive and partly defensive," said Strategy Analytics Executive Director Neil Mawston. "Samsung is launching a new 7-inch model to attack the high-growth 7-inch tablet market [and] defend against the threat posed by rival lower-cost models from Amazon, Nook and others."

Building a Multi-Tier Product Portfolio

According to Strategy Analytics, Android tablet shipments tripled to 10.5 million units in last year's fourth quarter. The launch of dozens of new models by Amazon, Asus, Barnes & Noble, Samsung and others helped Google's Android platform capture a record 39 percent share of global tablet shipments in last year's fourth quarter, a 29 percent rise from the year-earlier period, Mawston observed last month. ...