The Tab S4 was revealed online on August 1, 2018, with preorders for Wi-Fi and cellular models beginning on the same day.[3] In the United States at launch, LTE models are available for purchase via Verizon, with support from other carriers arriving in Q3 2018.[4][5]
Specifications
Hardware
The Tab S4 features an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 with 4 GB of LPDDR4X memory.[6] It is available in 64 or 256 GB storage variants, with expandable microSD card support for up to 400 GB (as of Oct 2022 1TB mSD cards do work).[7] The Tab S4 has Bluetooth 5.0 support and a larger 7,300 mAh battery with adaptive fast charging, and a claimed video playback time of up to 16 hours.[8] The device has integrated far-field microphones that allow Google Assistant to be controlled from far distances.[9]
Compared to the Galaxy Tab S3, the Tab S4 has a larger 10.5-inch 2560x1600 display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and slimmer bezels, allowing its footprint to be similar to its predecessor.[10] As a result, the Tab S4 no longer features a fingerprint sensor or navigation and home buttons, and uses a facial and iris scanner instead.[11] The front-facing selfie-camera has been upgraded to 8 megapixels and can record in 1080p resolution.[12] The four stereo speakers have also been tuned by AKG and support Dolby Atmos surround sound.[13]
The front and back glass uses Gorilla Glass 3 and the front doesn't have the Samsung logo.[14]
New features include Samsung Knox protection and a Daily Board mode, that allows for the display of photos, and weather and calendar information.[17]Bixby 2.0 will be added in a future software update in 2019.[18]
Samsung DeX is also natively supported and is launched on the device when a keyboard cover is connected.[19] The Tab S4 can run up to 20 multiple application windows simultaneously, and supports split screen, drag and drop, and right click functionality.[20] When connected to an external monitor, the screen can be used as a touchpad.[21]
Accessories
The Tab S4 is included with an improved S Pen stylus with a 0.7 mm tip and 4,096 pressure sensitivity levels, similar to the S Pen on the Galaxy Note 8.[22] It weighs 9.1 grams (0.32 oz) and supports features such as air commands, translation of on-screen text, screen-off memos, and live messages.[23]
A detachable keyboard accessory is also offered separately and magnetically latches onto the Tab S4.[24] It has a holster for the S Pen but does not include a touchpad, requiring users to rely on the touchscreen, S Pen or a bluetooth mouse for input.[25]