Galaxy Tab S12 Confirmed, and the Small One Is Gone

Samsung confirmed the Galaxy Tab S12 in an odd place: an earnings call, while explaining why memory costs are squeezing its mobile division.

Executive Daniel Araujo gave the launch window as the second half of 2026, which most expect to mean early September around IFA. The more interesting detail is what is not coming. The Galaxy Tab S12 lineup is two models, not three, and the 11 inch tablet is missing for the second year running.

Samsung has decided the small premium tablet is not a market worth serving.

What is in the Galaxy Tab S12 lineup?

The Tab S12+ at 12.4 inches and the Tab S12 Ultra at 14.6 inches. That is the whole range.

Model	Display	Status
Galaxy Tab S12+	12.4 inch	Expected
Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra	14.6 inch	Expected
11 inch model	Not offered	Dropped, second year

Dropping the 11 inch twice in a row is a decision, not an oversight. Samsung has concluded that anyone wanting a smaller premium tablet either buys an iPad or buys a cheaper Galaxy Tab A, and that the S line should be big screens for people doing work on them.

What specifications are expected?

Reported rather than confirmed, and worth holding loosely. MediaTek's 3nm Dimensity 9500, OLED panels at QHD+ with 120Hz variable refresh, Android 17 with One UI 9.0 out of the box, and a front camera moving from a notch to a punch hole with a 12MP sensor that shoots 4K.

The MediaTek part is the one to watch. Samsung using a Dimensity rather than a Snapdragon or its own Exynos in a flagship tablet would be a real shift, and it is exactly the kind of thing that changes between leak and launch.

Should you buy a tablet in Pakistan at all?

Honestly, for most people, no. A 14.6 inch Android tablet is a laptop sized purchase that does not replace a laptop, and in a market where a good phone under Rs 100,000 handles almost everything, the case is narrow.

Where a big tablet does earn its place:

• Note taking with a stylus, particularly for students, which is the one job it genuinely does better than a phone or laptop.
• Reading and marking up documents, where the extra screen is the whole point.
• Drawing and design work, where pressure sensitivity matters.
• Media in a household where the alternative is arguing over a television.

Where it does not: general browsing, messaging and video, all of which a phone does fine and a phone is already in your pocket.

What will it cost here?

Nothing has been announced, and flagship Samsung tablets have always landed expensively in Pakistan. The Ultra in particular competes with laptop money once you add the keyboard and stylus that make it useful.

Worth knowing before you plan around it: the accessories are not optional in practice. A Tab S Ultra without a keyboard case is a large media consumption device, and the case costs real money on top.

If you are comparing against alternatives, our piece on the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro covers the value end of the same market, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the phone most people should probably buy instead.

Why did Samsung confirm this on an earnings call?

Because the context was cost, not marketing. The confirmation came while an executive was explaining pressure on the mobile division from higher memory prices, which is a more interesting detail than the launch window itself.

Memory is one of the largest components of a tablet's bill of materials, and prices have been rising as AI datacentre demand absorbs supply. When a manufacturer flags that on an earnings call, it is usually preparing investors for either thinner margins or higher retail prices.

For buyers, that points one way. A tablet launching into rising component costs is unlikely to undercut its predecessor, and the memory tiers are where that shows up first. If the Tab S12 starts at the same storage as the Tab S11 but costs more, or holds price by starting lower, memory is why.

It is also worth noting that Samsung rarely confirms a product this casually. Doing it on a financial call rather than through marketing suggests the announcement was a byproduct of answering an analyst, not a planned tease.

When exactly does it launch?

Samsung has only committed to the second half of 2026. Early September is the expectation because that is when IFA runs and when Samsung has launched tablets before, but the company has not said so.

Things worth watching at launch:

1. Whether the Dimensity 9500 is real, since that would be a genuine departure for Samsung.
2. The base storage tier, which decides whether the entry price is honest.
3. Whether the stylus is included, as it traditionally has been on the S line.
4. How long Samsung commits to Android updates, which matters more on a device you keep five years.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Galaxy Tab S12 launch?

Samsung has confirmed the second half of 2026. Early September is expected around IFA, but no date has been given.

How many models are there?

Two: the Tab S12+ at 12.4 inches and the Tab S12 Ultra at 14.6 inches. The 11 inch model has been dropped for the second year.

What chip does the Galaxy Tab S12 use?

MediaTek's 3nm Dimensity 9500 is expected, which would be a notable change for a Samsung flagship tablet, but it is not confirmed.

What is the Galaxy Tab S12 price in Pakistan?

Not announced. Flagship Samsung tablets have historically been expensive here, and the keyboard and stylus add meaningfully to the total.

Why did Samsung drop the 11 inch model?

Samsung has not explained it, but skipping it twice suggests it sees the small premium tablet as a market that no longer justifies a product.

Is a big Android tablet worth it?

For stylus note taking, document work and drawing, yes. For browsing and video, a phone already does the job.