Samsung Might Discontinue Galaxy Note Line And Refocus On Foldables, Report Says

Samsung might discontinue the Galaxy Note line of smartphones to focus on creating more foldable devices, a report says.

Sources with knowledge of the matter, speaking with Reuters in Seoul, revealed that Samsung is not planning to create a new Galaxy Note smartphone for the coming year. The sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity as the plans aren’t meant to be made public at the moment, said the South Korean tech giant will instead put its focus on creating foldable smartphones moving forward.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note smartphones are known for their top-of-the-line features, particularly the S Pen, which sets them apart from the company’s other flagships. These devices offer premium specs at a premium price, however – and the company’s decision to discontinue the device reflects a decrease in the demand for premium smartphones.

The sources said that Samsung’s efforts will be channeled into two primary mobile device offerings.

First, sources said Samsung will equip the upcoming Galaxy S series devices with S Pen compatibility. The Galaxy S line of devices was previously separate from the Galaxy Note smartphones. These devices, however, continue to attract consumers due to their high-end features and cheaper prices. The Galaxy S21, expected to arrive soon, might be the first to enjoy this functionality.

Second, sources also indicated that Samsung will add S Pen compatibility to the “next version” of foldable smartphones. While the model remains unclear at the moment, previous reports indicated that it could be a next-gen Galaxy Fold. Reuters’ source indicated that the stylus for the foldable device “will be sold separately.”

Galaxy Note sales performance

Samsung’s Galaxy Note, despite the price tag, performed well this year.

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G – the most expensive model in the series – was the best-selling 5G smartphone globally in September, according to Counterpoint Research. It captured a 5% market share among all 5G smartphones, easily outpacing other 5G handsets, including the top-rated Galaxy S20 Plus.

However, Tom Kang, an analyst from Counterpoint, told Reuters that the Galaxy Note’s sales are expected to slow down and drop “by a fifth to 8 million this year.” Sales of the Galaxy S series smartphones are also expected to fall by “5 million to less than 30 million.”