A new Samsung Galaxy Note 12.2 is apparently closer to launch than previously thought, as the tablet will reportedly go into production by the end of the year.

A 12.2-inch Samsung Galaxy Note tablet is not such a big surprise, as the device has previously starred in various reports, leaks, and has even appeared at the FCC. A new report now claims that the tablet should go into production this year, which would mean launch sometime early next year. The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014 takes place in February, and Samsung may be readying some surprises.

"Samsung Electronics has been developing 12.2-inch tablets and adopted a film-based capacitive touch solution mainly provided by China-based Shenzhen O-film Tech, with production to kick off at the end of 2013, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers," reports DigiTimes.

"With its advantage of in-house memory, panels and assembly as well as global brand reputation and marketing resources, Samsung's initiative to offer large-size tablets may cause other vendors to follow suit in 2014, the sources said."

The larger Samsung Galaxy Note tablet is expected to come with a 12.2-inch display with a high resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. Under the hood, the tablet would pack the latest tech from Qualcomm, i.e. the quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor. Other rumored specs include Adreno 330 graphics, 3GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 2-megapixel front shooter. The Samsung Galaxy Note 12.2 is expected to ship with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out of the box.

Based on recent market trends, consumers seem to favor smaller tablets that are easier to handle, with displays of 7 to 8 inches. Larger tablets are still in demand, however, and some extra screen real estate could come particularly in handy for busy professionals focused on productivity.

While Samsung has yet to announce plans to launch a 12.2-inch Galaxy Note tablet, the FCC filing definitely points to a real device. Whether or not it will make its way to the market early next year remains to be seen.

For the time being, keep in mind that nothing is confirmed so far. As always, it is advisable to take all leaks, rumors and reports with a grain of salt. We'll keep you up to date as soon as more details become available.