Samsung ‘Debating’ Merging Galaxy S And Note Smartphone Lines

Samsung is known for its two flagship smartphone lineup: the Galaxy S lineup and the Galaxy Note lineup. While the two used to differ in terms of specs in their early years, recent releases seem to overlap in their specs and features. This overlap, according to a known leaker, has caused Samsung to consider merging the two lines into one.

Noted Twitter tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks) shared via a series of tweets (via Android Police) that Samsung is “debating” the future of its Galaxy smartphones, “including eliminating the distinction” between the Galaxy S and Note lines. The tipster said the news came from a “solid source,” which adds credibility to the claims.

The tipster said this is “more than just a branding realignment,” but a potential merging of the two into one handset since their features “overlap so closely.” Indeed, the two lines now share a lot of similar features between them. The only thing that obviously differentiates the two, at least in the eyes of the general public, is the S Pen, which is distinct to the Note line.

Blass noted that the merger could manifest in a variety of ways. One of these is the possible launch of a “Galaxy One” smartphone that will take the place of the Galaxy S11. The tipster added that Samsung could also “fuse” the two into a handset that will be released during the first half of the year. This smartphone, he said, will essentially be an S-series smartphone with an S-Pen.

What about the second half?

Should Samsung push through with merging the Galaxy S and Note series into one flagship series, it will have to find a way to fill the gap that the Note will leave. Blass said the Korean tech giant has a plan for this called the Galaxy Fold.

“Assuming that Fold performs according to expectations,” Blass said, “the hope is to deploy its successors as a second-half flagship, in the spot that would be vacated by Note.”

Simply put, the rumor alleges that Samsung is planning on releasing two major flagship lines per year: an S-series device with the Note’s features in the first half of the year, and a Galaxy Fold device in the second half of the year. This, of course, remains a rumor at the moment, and should be taken with a grain of salt unless confirmed by the Korean tech giant itself.