Samsung smartphone chief says the Galaxy Note is officially dead but has been reincarnated
When Samsung introduced the Galaxy S22 Ultra a few weeks ago, it confirmed what we already knew from leaks, renders, and tips. The phone was designed to replace the Galaxy Note. And just in case there was a glimmer of thought in the back of your mind that perhaps, just perhaps, the Galaxy Note might be back, Samsung took that glimmer and shot it in the head at MWC 2022 according to Dailian.
The Galaxy Note is dead but has been reincarnated as the Galaxy S Ultra
That is where Sammy's smartphone chief Roh Tae-moon told those at the conference that from here on out "Galaxy Note will come out as Ultra," referring to the Galaxy S Ultra model. The Galaxy Note burst on the scene back in 2011 and was the first smartphone to break the 5-inch ceiling for displays which maxed out at 4.3-inches at the time. The 5.3-inch screen on the first Galaxy Note and the included S Pen set the stage for that model for years to come.
The OG Samsung Galaxy Note, released in 2011, was the first smartphone with a display larger than 5-inches
However, over the last few years, Samsung didn't blow away all comers in screen size with the Galaxy Note, and integrating its squared-off design and the S Pen with the Galaxy S22 Ultra made plenty of sense. The manufacturer hinted at this move last year when it gave the Galaxy S21 Ultra support for the S Pen.
Samsung is hoping that those hankering for big-screened devices that they can take in the field or on the go purchase the Galaxy Z Fold 3 which turns a 6.2-inch external display into a 7.6-inch tablet-sized screen as easily as opening a book. And while the Galaxy Note is dead, when alive it did influence the size of smartphone displays.
The Galaxy Note took the idea of using a stylus as a smartphone input, something that Steve Jobs seemingly had shot down when introducing the OG iPhone in 2007, and made it cool by allowing the S Pen to snap pictures, control the volume of streaming media, and do much more.
We couldn't talk about the Galaxy Note line without bringing up what was a dark period for the series and the manufacturer. Of course, we are talking about the Galaxy Note 7. At first, it looked as though the Galaxy Note 7 was on its way to becoming a record-breaking performer as pre-order sales in South Korea reached 200,000 units in just two days, double the number of the Galaxy S20.
After a successful launch of the product, stories about the phone exploding started to spread. Samsung was forced to recall the device which was banned from most airlines.
The Galaxy Note's legacy is one of large screens and a multi-functional S Pen
By January 2017, Samsung had recalled 96% of the Galaxy Note 7 handsets that were sold to the public and announced its conclusion. Batteries inside the Note 7 were flawed, the phone itself was not.
The public loved the design of the Galaxy Note 7 so much that Samsung released a limited edition of what it called the Galaxy Note 7 FE (for Fan Edition). This device featured a smaller battery with an 8.5% lower capacity (3200mAh vs 3500mAh). The new phone was manufactured by Samsung using some of the components from Galaxy Note 7 units that were never opened.
The legacy of the Galaxy Note series (large screen, S Pen) is not marred by the unfortunate events surrounding the Galaxy Note 7, and the following year's Galaxy Note 8 featured a fresh look and the squared-off corners that became a Galaxy Note (and will now be a Galaxy S Ultra) trademark. The only reason why Samsung isn't being overwhelmed by angry letters from fans is that while the Galaxy Note name is dead, the soul of the device is still very much alive inside the Galaxy S22 Ultra and in all future Ultra models until Samsung says otherwise.
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