Samsung gunning to beat Apple and ship 100 million tablets in 2014

Looks like those rumors that Samsung will be pushing hard on the tablet front next year might just turn out to be credible. Insiders are commenting that Samsung is placing an unprecedented push on its subdivisions and suppliers to ensure enough panel can be made for a lofty sales goal it plans to achieve in 2014.

How lofty? Well, how does 100 million units shipped sound? That's the number bandied about in Korean media, which would likely mean more than double the quantity sold this year, and on par with what Apple is expected to sell. Last quarter Samsung shipped 10 million slates, which is more than doubling the amount from the same time last year, so on the whole it might very well reach 50 million tablets sold for 2013.

Next year is likely to be pivotal for Samsung, as it retools itself for the mobile challenges ahead. Its bread and butter flagship phones market is getting saturated, the phablet world got heated competition, and the fight is moving to the midrange now. Korean publications are reporting that's exactly what Samsung is doing, positioning for a midrange market fight.