Samsung announced today that it will be producing a new tablet, the Galaxy Tab 3 (7.0). Though there’s nothing that really stands out as spectacular or cutting edge, tech bloggers and users alike are predicting that the Tab 3 will directly compete with big-name rivals like Apple and Amazon. But that’s not all from the South Korean electronics giant. Samsung is poised to release another Galaxy Tab 3 hot on the heels of the 7.0 version, this one aptly given the tag 8.0.

By today’s measures, the Galaxy Tab 3 (7.0) specs are pretty standard. Its 7-inch LCD screen will boast a 1024×600 resolution, which equates to about 169 pixels per inch. It will offer 8GB and 16GB of storage along with 1GB of RAM. And as storage space starts to dwindle with all of the pics taken by the 1.3 megapixel front camera or the 3 megapixel rear camera, you’ll have the option for an additional 64GB of space courtesy of a new microSD slot.

This Wi-Fi only gadget will run on Android’s 4.1 OS (Jelly Bean) and be powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. The 8.0 model is reported to carry a 3G data package.

Many sources suggest that The Galaxy Tab 3 (8.0)’s only significant difference from the 7.0 model appears to be connectivity, though The Verge notes that the 8.0 could allow for “making calls and browsing the web untethered.”

Interesting move by Samsung here. A data package instead of traditional Wi-Fi, coupled with the ability to make calls and browse the internet is certainly a check in the convenience column, but the release of the 8.0 will likely coincide with the release of the iPad Mini 2 which, according to an April 9 article by the Australian site International Business Times, “will feature a screen with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. This is almost four times the resolution of the present iPad Mini and is equal to the fourth generation iPad which was released along with the iPad Mini last year.”

The same article pegged the 8.0 with a $149 price tag, but since the its publication there has been mostly silence in regard to cost. The Galaxy Tab 3 (7.0) is likely to hit the shelves by the end of May with the Tab 3 (8.0) making its debut by the end of June.

We’re curious to see what you readers think of this. Will Galaxy Tab 3 (8.0) get burned by the upcoming iPad Mini 2? Is Samsung making a mistake by releasing a lower-end tablet right before an upgraded one? Will both versions of the Galaxy Tab 3 be able to compete with its chief rivals? Give us all of your thoughts in the comments section below.