Samsung Galaxy Tab spreads wings, flies to premium seats on American Airlines

Move on over, Delta. The 200 iPads at your JFK terminal may entertain some folks waiting to board, but before the year's out American Airlines will start switching out 6,000 in-flight entertainment systems with Samsung 10.1-inch Galaxy Tabs. Sammy will be customizing the Honeycomb slates with flight related "features" including AA's streaming service mentioned last month, and possibly even adding "expanded memory" for the devices -- no word on how, though. Panasonic's console has some competition it seems. It's notable that these will only be available in "premium cabins" on a handful of long-distance routes, and unless you're flying in a 767-200, WiFi access -- a separate purchase, by the way -- may not be available. We've embedded some PR with the details for all you jet-setting tablet enthusiasts after the break.

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Samsung Mobile Seals Landmark Agreement with American Airlines to Provide Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 for Premium Class In-Flight Entertainment

American Airlines Becomes First North American Airline to Feature Branded Tablets Onboard by Ordering the World's Thinnest Mobile Tablet Currently Available

DALLAS, June 13, 2011 – Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.[1], today announced that American Airlines will offer Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 mobile tablets for premium class in-flight entertainment.

"Earlier this month we made history by launching the world's thinnest large screen tablet currently available and today we unveil another first with American Airlines' selection of the Galaxy Tab 10.1," said Dale Sohn, President of Samsung Mobile.

American Airlines, a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, plans to deploy 6,000 of the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices onboard select flights beginning later this year. The tablets will replace the airline's current personal entertainment device in American's premium cabins on transcontinental flights between New York's JFK and Los Angeles, JFK and San Francisco, and Miami and Los Angeles served with 767-200 and 767-300 aircraft; international flights to and from Europe and South America served with 767-300 aircraft; and transcontinental flights departing from Boston to Los Angeles served with 757 aircraft.

"Our engagement with American Airlines further illustrates the growing interest and demand we're seeing from enterprise customers for the Samsung Galaxy portfolio," said Tim Wagner, vice president and general manager of enterprise sales for Samsung Mobile. "As we continue to grow our enterprise customer base, we're committed to empowering a connected mobile workforce and enabling leading companies like American Airlines to enhance their customers' experience by providing world-class entertainment and enterprise-ready devices."

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 combines the Android platform, ultra-slim, lightweight design, a brilliant 10-inch touchscreen and array of applications enhancing the in-flight entertainment experience for travelers onboard American Airlines.

"Through our agreement with Samsung, American is the first North American airline to offer a branded tablet onboard its aircraft," said Virasb Vahidi, American's Chief Commercial Officer. "We are working hard to revitalize our fleet and invest wisely in new products and services to modernize and enhance the travel experience. Working with Samsung to outfit our premium cabins with the innovative Galaxy Tab will give our premium customers a modern and innovative in-flight entertainment experience."

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a WiFi-enabled tablet that measures at just 8.6 millimeters slim, making it the thinnest large screen tablet currently available in the world. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is powered by the Android™ 3.1 (Honeycomb) platform, offering faster and smoother transitions between different applications, more intuitive navigation to and from home screens and broader support of USB accessories, external keyboards, joysticks and gamepads. Samsung will customize the Galaxy Tab for American's in-flight entertainment needs, including the addition of expanded memory.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition is currently available exclusively at the Best Buy Union Square location in New York City. Starting June 17, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available nationwide. Visit www.samsung.com and www.aa.com for additional details.

1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q1 2011 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection® serve 250 cities in 50 countries with, on average, more than 3,600 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning website, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own.Together, its members serve approximately 900 destinations with more than 9,000 daily flights to 145 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, and AAdvantage are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR). Android is a trademark of Google, Inc.