Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ FCC Certification: What SM-X848U Reveals
A Samsung device with model number SM-X848U appeared in the FCC database today, with Notebookcheck reporting that the identifier reportedly corresponds to the US 5G variant of the Galaxy Tab S12+, citing 91mobiles. That mapping comes from third-party leak reporting, not from the FCC filing itself. The listing arrived eighteen days after two related variants cleared Safety Korea certification, and together the three filings across two regulatory bodies point toward a fall 2026 release that multiple sources have been expecting.
The hardware picture that emerges from certifications and earlier leaks suggests an iterative update rather than a rebuilt product, though the details that would settle that question remain undisclosed.
What the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ FCC certification actually shows
The FCC filing for SM-X848U documents support for 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, and GNSS, according to Notebookcheck. It also confirms S Pen and microSD card support. Those are the certified facts. Chipset, RAM, storage tiers, camera hardware, charging speed, dimensions, weight, and price have not been disclosed in any regulatory filing, Notebookcheck noted.
A certification filing is a narrow document. It records that a device with a given model number passed regulatory testing for specific radio frequencies and hardware capabilities. The SM-X848U cleared the FCC. What Samsung plans to sell it as, at what price, and running what software version remains open.
The S Pen and microSD confirmations are still worth noting. Both features have appeared consistently in Samsung's flagship tablet line, and their presence in the filing is consistent with the premium positioning those variants have carried. For users who rely on stylus input or need storage room beyond what's built in, that continuity matters regardless of what other specs eventually surface.
What the Safety Korea filings added
The Wi-Fi variant SM-X840 and Korean 5G variant SM-X846N received Safety Korea certification earlier this month, Notebookcheck reported, citing SammyGuru. Those filings included something the FCC listing did not: a regulatory image of the tablet's front face.
The image appears to show the front camera seated in the display bezel rather than in a punch-hole cutout, Notebookcheck noted. That contradicts earlier rumors about the design direction. One certification schematic is not a production render; it is a technical document submitted to satisfy a compliance requirement, and it may not reflect the final retail design. It is, however, the only official documentation of the front face available so far, which gives it more weight than any unnamed source.
What the leaks suggest about hardware
The most grounded pre-certification hardware detail involves the battery. Component data that surfaced in March identified two part numbers, EB-BX846AAE and EB-BX846AAY, both rated at 10,392mAh, SamMobile reported. The typical usable capacity could land around 10,500mAh to 10,600mAh, which would put it roughly 4 to 5% above the Galaxy Tab S10+'s battery, according to SamMobile. Those figures come from identifiable component part numbers, which gives them more credibility than most early leaks carry.
The display picture is softer. The Tab S12+ is expected to feature a 12.4-inch OLED panel with QHD+ resolution and a 120Hz variable refresh rate, SamMobile reported four months ago. That expectation is based on product pattern rather than any certification document or component data. It may prove accurate, but it should be read as an informed expectation.
Chipset and memory figures are softer still. The device could be powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 9500+, with at least 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, SamMobile noted, using conditional language that reflects how early and unverified those details remain. Those are the variables most likely to determine whether the Tab S12+ represents a meaningful step forward or a holding pattern, and none of them have appeared in any official source.
Launch timing and the two-model lineup
Two sources point to the same general window. Notebookcheck expected the launch around September or October 2026, potentially timed alongside the Galaxy S26 FE. SamMobile flagged a possible Q3 2026 release four months ago. The two windows overlap, and the certification pace is consistent with a product targeting fall. That is as much alignment as pre-announcement reporting typically produces.
No base Tab S12 model has appeared in any certification filing or leak. Both Notebookcheck and SamMobile expect the lineup to consist of the Tab S12+ and Tab S12 Ultra only. Samsung has said nothing publicly about lineup scope, so whether the absence of a base model reflects a deliberate decision or simply means that variant hasn't surfaced yet isn't clear. A phased rollout is possible. The evidence doesn't resolve it either way.
Three certifications across two countries in under three weeks is consistent with a product that's months away from announcement, not a year. The next markers to watch are additional regional certifications in European and Southeast Asian markets, any Unpacked event scheduling from Samsung, and early retail channel documentation that would give the pricing picture its first concrete shape. Those disclosures will do more work than everything the regulatory filings have produced so far.
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