The South Korea-based Samsung company has been very busy in the last five years. In addition to manufacturing a wide range of electronics, Samsung has put a total of 91 different mobile devices and tablets on the shelves since the introduction of the very first Samsung Galaxy, the GT-i7500, in June of 2009. From smartphones to tablets, and the inevitable, eccentrically designated “phablet” (a tablet that works as a phone, and vice versa), Samsung has effectively cornered the market in the mobile technology industry among Android-based operating systems.
Alongside the rise of mobile technology has been a substantial increase in mobile gambling. Tablet poker sites have increased several hundred percent in the last two years alone, a fact that can easily be attributed, at least in part, to the superior design of the immensely popular Samsung Galaxy. Not everyone would agree, but being an owner of their products myself, I appreciate the fact that they put more effort into the guts and sturdiness of their machines than their outward beautification. Not to say they are ugly – the sleek design of each rendition of the Samsung Galaxy is aesthetically appealing, but most agree they don’t hold the same attractiveness as their rival products by Apple. Then again, the screens don’t break every time you drop them, either. Let’s just say, there’s a reason Apple started offering screen repair services in-store this year.
The Samsung Galaxy 3 dominated the Android market for two years, boasting 15% of all mobile/tablet sales in 2013, followed by the Samsung Galaxy 4, released last year, at 10%. On a wider spectrum, Apple’s iOS products (including the iPad, iPad 2, iPad Mini and iPad Air) continue to be the most popular of all devices, reporting 70.4 million sales in 2013, with Samsung products coming in second at 37.4 million sold.
In terms of Google Android based items alone, Samsung Galaxy devices make up 30% of the entire market share, with the nearest competitor being LG at just 7%. On an interesting side note, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone is scheduled to be released today, April 11, 2014. Only time will tell whether this latest edition will usurp its predecessors in sales over the coming months.
Compatibility with Poker Sites
The good news for online poker enthusiasts who own or plan to purchase a Samsung Galaxy is that, being among the top selling operating systems in the world, all major poker sites have incorporated mobile technologies that are compatible with Samsung’s Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” (released October 2011) and 4.1 “Jellybean” (released June 2012) operating systems, as well as the newest 4.4 “KitKat” (released October 2013). So if you’re looking to buy, the latest technology isn’t even required. Anything beyond the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 or S3 Smartphone will get the job done.
There is a distinct difference between some tablet poker sites. There are those that can be run directly in a Samsung Galaxy Tab browser by visiting the poker site and clicking the ‘Instant-Play’ version of the poker client, and then there are those that have gone the extra mile to integrate a dedicated poker app just for their mobile clientele. Most of today’s tablets, especially the Samsung Galaxy Series, are fully capable of running the in-browser platforms, but in general, a dedicated poker app is strongly preferred.
Dedicated Poker Apps
Downloadable poker apps are not just faster, but they run smoother and are easier to navigate. Because they are specifically designed to run on a mobile device or tablet, the weight of the file and its processor usage are much lower, resulting in a more fluid experience. Due to the decreased screen size, developers of tablet poker apps are able to cater to any significant restrictions. For example, they can incorporate sharper graphics without taking away from the speed of gameplay, and can adjust the size of all commonly used buttons, like Check, Fold, Raise and the sliding bet bar. Of all the complaints from consumers who access mobile poker sites from a standard size Smartphone via the universal Flash-based instant play platform, complaints regarding the use of such buttons tend to stand out the most. For tablets, a 7” or larger screen is generally large enough forgo such issues.
In-Browser Poker Software
Since not all tablet poker sites have taken that extra step to deliver a dedicated poker app, and most online poker enthusiasts already have a select favorite operator they wish to continue playing with, dealing with the instant-play poker software may be a necessity. Thus for anyone who is looking to purchase a Samsung Galaxy product to enjoy the convenience and comfort of playing online poker anywhere they can get a Wi-Fi connection, make sure you get a Samsung Galaxy 3 or later. The Samsung Galaxy Ace is a fine product in and of itself, but does not support Adobe Air, thus is not compatible with Flash-based poker sites.