ITWire

Although mobile phones have been available to buy on 24 month plans for years now, making them much easier to purchase rather than needing to come up with a large, outright price “lump sum”, it’s been great to see that tablets have gone down this path too, over the past year or two.

After mobiles came the netbook revolution on mobile plans, and then tablets followed, and while few are that interested in netbooks anymore, tablets are all the rage – especially the latest, brand new tablets that bring dramatic improvements over previous models.

Although Microsoft just previewed its new Windows 8 Surface tablets, which we hope will also be available on plans for those who wish to buy one that way, the biggest competitor to the iPad right now (and for the next few months until Windows 8 software and hardware finally hits retail) is Android tablets, and most specifically, those from Samsung.

So, for anyone that was waiting for a follow-up to Samsung’s amazing iPad 2 clone, the lawsuit-challenged and impressive Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 from last year, the wait is over, for Samsung has launched its Galaxy Tab 2, also in a 10.1-inch screen size, but now with Google’s latest tablet OS, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.

Weighing in at just over half a kilogram and at only 9.7mm thick, it’s an obvious “iChallenger”, with the Optus MD of Marketing, Michael Smith, happy to note that: “As the popularity of tablets in Australia continues to grow at a rapid rate, we are delighted to present the brand new GALAXY Tab 2 from Samsung.

“To celebrate this exciting launch, we will be offering customers a variety of great value data plans including a special $10 saving when they choose to bundle the GALAXY Tab 2 with an Optus Mobile”, added Mr Smith.

Optus notes that “selected Yes Optus Stores” across Australia have the Galaxy Tab 2 available now, from AUD $39.95 per month on the 2GB Optus Data Plan, with a total minimum cost over 24 months being AUD $958.80.

Optus notes the tablet is “also available on a range of Optus Data plans with 2GB to 20GB of data allowance per month, all of which offer unlimited access within Australia to selected social networking sites”.

And, anyone that bundles a new mobile through Optus with the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 also gets that $10 per month saving.

So… if you haven’t been caught up in the considerable iHype and are already on the Apple iWay, and have been wanting to get your hands on what is arguably the very best Android ICS 4.0 tablet available without breaking the bank, this latest Optus deal may just be the way to do it.