Verizon Wireless to chop Galaxy Tab price by $100

Samsung Galaxy Tab — Image used with permission by copyright holder

In a move that may help make the Galaxy Tab more appealing in Verizon Wireless retail locations alongside Apple iPads, Verizon Wireless is getting ready to take $100 off the price of a contract-free Samsung Galaxy Tab, lowering the point of entry to $499 from its debut price of $599. Verizon Wireless has been offering the Galaxy Tab with and without mobile broadband contracts for two months; without a contract, Galaxy Tab others can still get mobile broadband service for $20 a month on a month-to-month basis.

Falling right after the holiday season, Verizon Wireless’s pricing change may be an effort to make its highest-priced version of the Galaxy Tab more appealing to consumers who have burned through their holiday budgets. The price drop may also make the contract-free version more appealing as consumers are assaulted this week by news of new and forthcoming Android-powered tablets from CES.

Although Samsung has recently said the Galaxy Tab has sold more than 1 million units worldwide, U.S. carriers offering the device have not yet revealed specific sales figures. In other words, it’s possible Verizon Wireless is starting to discount the Galaxy Tab in a bid to move sales and inventory.

CES is expected to host a wealth of tablet product announcements, the bulk of which will be powered by Android and looking to knock the iPad off its top spot in the market. Verizon Wireless is expected to announce tablets that will support 4G service via its nascent LTE network.

Of course, the elephant that won’t be in the room at CES is the Apple iPad: Apple historically eschews the gigantic electronics expo, and some industry watchers note that as the industry is finally getting ready to compete against the Apple iPad, Apple is very likely putting the finishing touches in its next iPad…meaning many of the new tablet offerings might be competing with the wrong device.

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