Since this winter, and since the iPad rumors get stronger and stronger – during CES, commentators were expecting the iPad to be introduced by Jobs – , tablets became the new tech companies battlefield. Almost every company has launched its tablet, from Asus to Sony, Apple, … Even if most of those tablets were only concepts, this phenomenon showed one thing: tablets are where tech firms are now focusing.

Small companies were first to launch tablets this year – before the iPad even appeared, even if they took advantage of the buzz – and then big fishes started to swim in the same direction: even HP announced its model. Today, We’ve seen many mass market tablets appearing. The first strong product has been Apple’s iPad. Because of IOS and the very advanced Apple hardware, Jobs has introduced a powerful product. Alright, but will Apple dominate the market? Apple has surely hit hard with the iPad, and has defined new standards, exactly like with its iPhone. But Android has brought something very important: cheap, customizable and variate tablets. The Galaxy Tab is the “Cadillac” of this wave, but many many more devices were introduced on the market, and new models, like the Toshiba’s Folio, will soon hit the stores. Android has blurred everything: even if the iPad still dominates, its hardware is getting old in front of those new android devices and its software – still IOS 3 until October or November – shows some lack of support from Apple – or a lack of engagement, compare to the iPhone. The iPhone’s model, that Apple applies since the iPhone 1G – one model with its own platform, and annual big upgrades – may not work for tablets which require stronger hardwares to differentiate from smartphones and netbooks.

Android tablets could win this war, cause iPad competitors are all over the place and appeared very early. For the iPhone, the competition has been slow and weak, for tablets it has been very different. Although this war is still limited because of a lack of need and use for this kind of device: even if mass markets enjoyed the iPad – many iPads have been sold in 2010 – Apple and its competitors couldn’t create a need and show why tablets are essentials to our life. Tablets are attractive, but smartphones, laptops and netbooks can accomplish the same kind of task – and for most of the cases they can do the work  better.

Update: Stay tune for our Galaxy Tab review.