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Many users have complained about the lack of innovation in smartphones in recent years. But it is undeniable that there are still some interesting changes. The change this year is the popularity of the so-called “super cup” models. Compared to the conventional flagship, the ‘super cup’ has more sophisticated technology, better quality and workmanship. Of course, this is also reflected in the price.
Anyway, we should say that the ‘super cup’ models did not appear suddenly this year. Let’s say that Samsung’s Galaxy Note launched in 2011 can be considered as the true veteran. It has a larger screen and more powerful features than the flagship Galaxy S2 at the time. That is why millions of users received it immediately. For now, every day we hear more and more rumors saying that Samsung will discontinue this series.
Galaxy Note: the first smartphone of the ‘super cup’
In 2011, there were no Plus, Pro, Max, Ultra in the name of smartphones … but Galaxy Note appeared.
We can recall that the iPhone 4s continued with the same 3.5-inch small screen design of the previous generation model. But Android phones from the same era were generally about 4 inches. Now it’s really amazing to think about it. In this context, the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note appeared on the market and was all the rage. This ‘giant screen’ smartphone played the role of a spoiler. Also, this mobile device could serve as both a smartphone and a tablet.
Tablets were a whole new category at the time. The advent of the iPad made everyone feel that laptops were no longer necessary. PC shipments also began to decline for several years. Most of the major PC makers like Lenovo, HP, ASUS, and smartphone makers like Motorola, Sony, and even BlackBerry have entered the tablet arena. Of course, Samsung has also introduced a tablet. You also want to find a breakthrough on the phone. This is how the Galaxy Note appeared. Its screen size is between a phone and a tablet, and it fits in a pocket. It also has the features of a phone and a tablet.
The market was showing that Samsung was doing the right thing. Big screen phones not only impact tablets, but more importantly, large screens are more suitable for smartphones. IDC noted in the 2013 China Smartphone Market Monitoring Report that the market share of smartphones larger than 5 inches is increasing rapidly. This data was less than 5% at the beginning of 2012 and was expected to reach 20% by the end of 2013.
On the other hand, the rise of 4G networks has also led to the prosperity of the content ecology of smartphones. A large number of mobile video and game apps have made their way onto users’ smartphones, taking time away from them. Obviously, a better experience can only be obtained on a bigger screen. Consumer demand for large displays and batteries continued to increase. Even Apple released the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus in 2014. That year, the screen size of the Galaxy Note 4 increased to 5.7 inches. With this move, the era of big screens has officially opened.
Call to the Galaxy Note curtain, Fold is at the top
In 2020, after the era of the full screen, the screen size can no longer be used as a standard to distinguish the positioning of smartphones. It is difficult for consumers to change the desire for a simple processor upgrade. Manufacturers must create more exclusive and rare outlets to stand out from a sea of machines. Therefore, the focus is on imaging capabilities. Perceptual lenses, 100x zoom, 100MP, and other camera parameters are popping up incessantly. But the most suitable to carry these cutting-edge technologies will surely be the ‘super cup’ smartphone.
Samsung’s dual flagship strategy has undergone subtle changes this year as well. The S20 series launched in the first half of the year has an oversized S20 Ultra variant. Although its screen size is only 0.2 inches larger than that of the S20 +, the battery capacity has been upgraded to 5000 mAh. It also has a dedicated 100MP camera with a 100x zoom, 1 / 1.33-inch soleplate and the starting price was as high as $ 1399.
In contrast, the Note 20 Ultra in the second half of the year has dropped. If you carefully compare the parameters of these two super cups, you will find that the Note 20 Ultra is inferior to the S20 Ultra in terms of camera specs and battery capacity. Of course, the starting price of $ 1299 is also lower than that of the S20 Ultra. Also, the list of general specifications for the Note 20 series is not good enough. The entry-level Note 20 has only a 60Hz display, and the back case material is downgraded to polycarbonate. Such a definition of a product cannot really sustain the identity of Note.
At the same time, Samsung’s folding screen product line that started betting in 2019 has started to shine. After a year of technical iteration, this year’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G and W21 5G derivative models can be considered the most mature folding screen phones today. They have a mature and very usable folding shape. Performance, screen refresh rate, camera capabilities, and other aspects aren’t too far from mainstream flagship products. Another Z Flip 5G has also won the favor of many users.
In addition to the product level, folding screen phones are also very useful for Samsung to reshape the high-end brand image. This may be what Samsung cares about the most. Since the Note 7 incident, Samsung has been in a depression and its image in the hearts of the public has plummeted. The screen products that were launched in the last two years appear to have saved many printing points. Thanks to some technological innovations and excellent marketing capabilities, Samsung’s folding screen smartphones have a better response to the market and a better performance from the public than the Note series.
Therefore, it is not difficult to see that the Galaxy Note series has not been able to cope with the change in product definition. So it’s time to get off the altar and make way for the Fold and other flip-screen phones. But before that, there is a question, What about the S Pen?
How do the S Pen and the folding screen work together?
The S Pen stylus is the gen of the Note series. Although the power of the Galaxy Note 20 product is not as good as before, the stylus is still its unique differentiated experience. After Samsung abandons the Note series, where will the S Pen go?
It has been revealed that next year’s S21 Ultra will support the S Pen stylus for the first time. But there is no storage hole in the body. This is well understood. The current hardware specs of the S20 Ultra are already better than the Note series. It’s nothing short of reasonable to let it be S Pen compatible in the next generation of products to create a differentiated point of sale. But what if Samsung wants to put the S Pen in the Z Fold 3 folding screen phone?
Recently, some Korean media exposed some information about the Galaxy Z Fold 3, saying that Samsung is already developing the second generation UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) and its own cover glass solution to achieve the S Pen holder. This is also the key point when applying the S Pen to the Z Fold 3, because the plastic screen of the first folding screen smartphone will cause scratches on the pen. UTG is not only smaller in thickness, but also has higher wrinkle resistance. In addition, Samsung also filed a patent drawing of the S Pen, showing that the S Pen can be stored on the right side of the flip-screen phone. From this point of view, although the Note has ended, its essence, the S Pen, is still preserved.
Wrap
The smartphone industry is changing rapidly and there are not many products that can remain in our memory. Samsung Note is a product worthy of our memory. It is not only the pioneer of large screen smartphones and super large cups, but also a landmark product in the history of smartphone development. Most likely we won’t see him next year. But we prefer to describe this as a ‘retirement’ after ten generations of glory.
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