After its global introduction last September, Samsung has announced that the Galaxy Tab Active3 is finally available for sale in the U.S. While it’s still built on some of the features of the earlier Active2 (such as its rugged military-grade design), the latest version includes more enhancements for multitasking and improved connectivity. According to Samsung, the Active3 is designed to boost frontline workers’ efficiency and productivity across various demanding environments—be it retail or manufacturing.
This lightweight 8-inch Android tablet has an IP68 water- and dust-resistance rating and can reportedly withstand harsh environmental conditions such as vibrations and high altitude. The screen was designed to remain functional even when scrolling and swiping while wearing working gloves. However, Samsung has noted that “extremely heavy-duty gloves or mittens” might still meet some resistance. The tablet is also outfitted with three buttons for physical navigation, plus two additional buttons that can be programmed as shortcuts for business apps such as push-to-talk, scanning, or certain emergency functions.
On the back of the tablet is a 13-megapixel camera, while on the front is a 5-megapixel camera, which are both capable of scanning barcodes through Samsung’s Knox Capture. The 5,050mAh battery is also removable for easy replacement.
Some new features that were incorporated are Wi-Fi 6/MIMO connectivity, for quicker data transferring, and Samsung wireless DeX3, which enables a PC-like multitasking experience on a single device. A now more rugged IP68-Certified S Pen is also included for simplified hands-off use during certain situations. One unique feature that can be found in the Active3 is its “No Battery Mode,” which allows the tablet to remain operational even without the battery inserted in the device. This is specifically designed for vehicle use such as in forklifts or trucks.
The Active3 tablet will be running on Android 10, but Samsung assures that it will soon be able to upgrade to Android 11 and will support up to three generations of future Android OS upgrades. Two internal storage options are available: 64 GB and 128 GB, with expandable storage via a microSD card slot.
Companies such as BusPatrol have already started using the Active3 to provide GPS and safety tools for bus drivers. Similarly, Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) has also integrated the Active3 onto 1,600 trucks, where drivers can use a cloud-based telematics network for routing and diagnostics while on the road. In addition, Veras Retail is using the Active3 to mobilize its Affinity AI-powered clienteling system for sales associates to quickly access data as they interact with shoppers.
The Active3 is also Samsung’s first Enterprise Edition tablet in the U.S., which enables the secure management of mobile devices across workforces. This includes free 1-year use of the Samsung Knox Suite, 3 years of availability for purchase, and up to 5 years of security updates.
The Galaxy Tab Active3 is now available at Samsung’s partner distributors and at Samsung.com The Wi-Fi-only version starts at $489.99, while the LTE-enabled model starts at $589.99.
For more information, visit https://www.samsung.com/us/business/products/mobile/tablets/galaxy-tab-active/explore/.
For more news and stories, check out our review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 here.