It might have been the unsaid mission statement for quite some time, but now top executive Shin Jong-kyun has puts his cards on the table, telling analysts that after overtaking Apple in smartphones, Samsung aims to be the world leader in tablet computers, too.

Shin noted that Samsung tablet sales will exceed 40 million units this year — more than doubling the sales in 2012.

“Samsung tablet shipments started to grow remarkably since the second half of last year,” he said.

Apple had previously captured more than half of the global tablet market, although that dominance has been eroded as Samsung’s sales have been boosted by lower cost Galaxy Tab computers, available in various screen sizes.

Samsung vice chairman Kwon Oh-hyun also revealed that Samsung wants to be the top device maker for medical practitioners, by developing its own technologies and acquiring successful companies already working in the domain. Over the last three years, Samsung has spent $1 billion to buy 14 companies in medical equipment, mobile software and services.

• SourceHindustan Times