Android Needs The Rumored 10.9″ Samsung Galaxy Tab S11

Last week, it was reported that Samsung is shaking up its tablet lineup again this year. The 2024 Galaxy Tab S10 lineup consisted of two devices: a large, 12.4″ Tab S10+ and an even larger Tab S10 Ultra at 14.6″. A 10.9″ Tab S10 FE and a 13.1″ Tab S10 FE+. This year, though, it looks like Samsung may again offer a small, premium option in a more compact Tab S11 model. I think that’s the right move. Here’s why.

Small tablets are more comfortable

Use cases vary, of course, but for me, tablets are supplemental devices. If I’m on a tablet, I’m most likely reading or browsing the internet. I might use a tablet to watch the odd YouTube video at the kitchen table, but they’re rarely video-first devices in my house. I also never try to get work done on my tablets — I’ve got a laptop for that.

If you’re trying to make a Samsung tablet an all-in-one entertainment and productivity machine, you may very well appreciate the 13- or 15-inch displays you can get on its bigger models, and you’ll probably want to pair your tab with a keyboard. But the way I use tablets, that extra real estate is just added bulk.

The compact 10.9″ size of the Tab S9 and Tab S10 FE is great for casual use: it’s meaningfully bigger than a phone screen without feeling like half a laptop in your hands. Assuming the Tab S11 keeps that form factor, it should be an appealing option for anyone who wants a premium second-screen device that’s small enough to easily tuck away when it’s not needed.

A smaller footprint would make the Galaxy Tab S11 great for travel, too. You can stick a 12.4″ or even 14.6″ tablet in a backpack, sure, but they’re not exactly convenient to use on the go. The Tab S10 Ultra will barely fit on an in-flight seat-back table.

On the other hand, a 10.9″ tablet is compact enough to fit in a larger purse or camera bag and use without a surface to rest your arms on — try that with the Ultra.

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Samsung could stand to benefit, too

Offering a premium small tablet in 2025 also makes sense for Samsung. Over the past year, between the Tab S10 and S10 FE lineups, Samsung has introduced three large-format tablets in the S10 Ultra, S10+, and S10 FE+. The company’s only introduced a single small tablet in the Tab S10 FE. Anyone after a smaller, premium tablet has to go with the two-year-old Tab S9 — or look at options from competitors like Apple or OnePlus.

Offering a smaller Tab S11 option may also help Samsung move more units. Samsung’s Plus smartphones tend to sell the least; early this year, it was reported that Samsung’s Galaxy S24+ had sold fewer units than either the smaller Galaxy S24 or the bigger, more capable Galaxy S24 Ultra.

It’d make sense if its tablets followed a similar pattern: if you’re prepared to spend good money on a big, premium device — a Tab S10+ or a Galaxy S24+ — you may as well drop a little more to get the fancier version. By offering two Tab S11 models that have less in common, Samsung could capture the interest of a wider audience.

Why stop at 10.9″?

Personally, I wouldn’t mind if Samsung went even smaller with its smallest tablets; I tend to prefer tablets in the sub-9″ space, like the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 or the iPad Mini. Still, the potential return to a premium 10.9″ model has me more excited than I’ve been about Samsung tablets in a long time. Here’s hoping last week’s rumor turns out to be true — Android needs more high-end compact tablet options.