South Korea-based Samsung Electronics may discontinue its premium Galaxy Note phone next year, sources said, a move that would reflect the sharp drop in demand for high-end smartphones due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Galaxy Note, known for its large screen and note-taking stylus, is one of two premium phone series from Samsung – the other being the more compact Galaxy S, which attracts customers with its state-of-the-art features.
Moreover, the South Korean tech giant currently has no plans to build a new version of the Galaxy Note for 2021, according to sources.
Instead the top model of the Galaxy S series, the S21, will have a stylus and the next version of the foldable Samsung phone will be compatible with a stylus, which will be sold separately, sources suggest.
Another source said company development efforts that normally would have been directed to the Note would now be channeled into its foldable phone range.
Samsung has not provided any official information.
Analysts said sales of Samsung’s Note series are expected to fall by a fifth to 8 million this year while sales of the S series are likely to drop by 5 million to less than 30 million. “Premium demand has decreased this year and many people are not looking for new products,” they said.
The Galaxy Note 20 was launched this year with a $999 price tag, on par with the Galaxy S20 while the iPhone 12 starts at $799.
In 2011, Samsung first released the Note, breaking new ground in the larger screen model segment and helping it surpass Apple, the iPhone maker, for the first time that year to become the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer.
