Opinion
Opinion: Killing the Galaxy Note series could be a bad decision for Samsung
Samsung announced its first-ever Note device at IFA Berlin in 2011. The company offers a unique and special add-on with these devices that is S-Pen. This little stylus makes the Note devices stand out from any other smartphone.
After the launch, the Galaxy Note smartphones have gained popularity among the users and became the first-ever commercially successful phones with large screens that can be a substitute for the tablets along with an advanced stylus that comes inside the device itself.
The Korean tech giant had found these phablets very successful, the Galaxy Note devices accounted for over 50 million sales between September 2011 and October 2013. After these fabulous results, the company decided to take the Note line up further.
From the first-ever Note smartphone, Samsung currently has 14 Galaxy Notes in the list. Among them, the latest is the Galaxy Note 20 that the company announced recently. The Galaxy Note 20 series is packed with all the essential and premium features with the power of the S-Pen. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has become popular since its launch and was the highest-selling 5G device in the month of September 2020.
And now the reports are coming that after nine successful years, Samsung may put an end to its Note flagship. This means we might not be able to see the successor of the Galaxy Note 20 series. Instead, the company is planning to give this unique S-Pen feature to the upcoming S and Fold smartphones. If this information is correct, then this is a very disappointing move from Samsung and as a Note lover, I don’t want to see such changes and so the others.
By implementing this revolutionary change of merging the Note line with the S-series devices, Samsung likely to make its Note users disappointed. The Note devices have their own fan base and the company should not mess with it. It is still now known that why Samsung is taking such a step and there’s surely a genuine reason behind this change.
As a fan of Galaxy Note devices, I have expected many new and exciting changes in the upcoming Note lineup but at the same time, the sign for killing the Note series have already emerged and now it would be weird that the next Note device may not appear on the launch stage.
Although, there will be more devices in the future that will come with S-Pen features including Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 but the Note has a different vibe.
This decision could impact in a negative way for Samsung, the Note customers may shift to other devices, which may also affect Samsung’s sales volume. As the customers expect different features from both the Galaxy S and Note series devices and merging these two will not give any option to the customers and not everyone is ready to use the expensive fold phones.
As of now, the users can decide between these two lines of smartphones as what they want- an S-Pen feature with a large screen or a compact lightweight design that can be only possible with Galaxy Note devices. But next year, we might not be able to get such options.
Still, Samsung has not announced any official statement on this matter but we’ll keep you posted with the latest updates.
So, what do you think about this decision, if Samsung really moves to kill the Galaxy Note series Samsung as a Galaxy user? Let us know in the comments below.
Samsung’s relationship with Google is rock solid. Both companies collaborate on different products to benefit their consumer base. Is it the right time for Samsung to develop a Galaxy-dedicated OS or at least Android for Galaxy?
Google worked with Samsung to optimize Android for foldables and tablets. The company had even launched Android 12L, a version dedicated to large-screen devices. Now, Samsung should work with Google to optimize Android for Galaxy devices.
Samsung flagships are equipped with pro-grade hardware specifications. The company manages to optimize the One UI software accordingly. Meanwhile, there are still a lot of areas, that require significant improvements.
Benefits of Android for Galaxy
Samsung fine-tunes Android for Galaxy products. Meanwhile, Android for Galaxy will make things a lot better, eventually benefitting end users. It shouldn’t be the Tizen approach, but a collaborative progress.
Android optimized for Galaxy devices should allow users to enjoy the power and personalization of the OS. Its optimization level for Galaxy devices will offer faster app launches, performance improvements, and longer battery life.
Samsung owns Exynos, Galaxy AI, Good Lock, and a lot of stunning services. A combined approach can significantly uplevel the user experience. Functional capabilities would also be boosted, taking Galaxy’s experience to a whole new level.
Difficulties
Android’s presence is vast. It’s available across different brands including Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, and so on. Samsung is unquestionably the biggest Android vendor but Google could find it difficult to optimize Android for all Galaxies.
The Korean tech giant itself tests and deploys security updates on Galaxy devices. Various applications are already available with better features than Google services such as the Internet. Even Google takes inspiration from Galaxies to develop features for Pixel phones.
Samsung not only has flagship phones, but also brings budget, mid-range, and premium mid-range phones. These products use different hardware such as camera and processor, requiring a need for unified software. Just a collective approach is required to end all kinds of difficulties.
"Android for Galaxy" ❤️
Should Samsung & Google embark on this stunning journey?#Samsung #Android #OneUI pic.twitter.com/HT2S5xfzfV
— Sammy Fans – We ♥ Samsung! (@thesammyfans) August 29, 2024
Google’s Pixel 9 series is official with pretty new AI stuff. The most notable thing that changed with this year’s Pixel phones is the Android installation. I guess, Google took a sip of poison to push Samsung Galaxy’s Android OS superiority further.
Pixel 9 series comes with Android 14, rather than the latest OS. Pixel 8 series and later devices are supported by seven years of OS updates. However, the Pixel 9 will get one less Android upgrade than that it deserves to have.
Google’s decision puts the Pixel 9 together with last year’s Pixel 8 series. Both lineups will end their major upgrade life at Android 21. Well, Pixel phones are neither durable nor Google provides satisfactory support, so don’t expect more than 1 year of service.
The decision, however, aligns with Samsung’s superiority, let’s decode.
The Galaxy S25 series will be the first (imp) to come with Android 15 pre-installed. You can guess how things have been decided by downgrading the Pixel 9 lineup. As a Samsung fan, I always wanted H2 Galaxy products to come with the latest OS.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 also come with Android 14. The OS was released in October last year and is still arriving pre-installed. Google ultimately filled the OS gap between Galaxy foldables and Pixel phones at a cost of Pixel downgrade.
Android 15 might be released on the official channel in October as last year. Eligible Pixel phones will start getting the major firmware update. Samsung is also expected to begin the One UI 7 update rollout for Galaxy models by the end of October.
In the first phase, Samsung’s Android 15 will arrive on flagship phones. However, the Korean tech giant won’t make other users wait much. The One UI 7 update rollout may begin for all eligible Galaxy models before 2024 ends.
Samsung replicated Google’s promise of Android updates, but the plus point is that mid-range and budget Galaxy phones are eligible for at least four major OS upgrades. The upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 will also be honored with 7 major Android updates.
The Korean tech giant offers the longest software update support in the Android industry. Google’s OS update promise starts from the Pixel 8 series. While mid-range and budget Samsung phones get four Android updates, the premium Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 will get 7.
Earlier this year, Samsung launched the Galaxy S24 series smartphones. The lineup is guaranteed for at least seven OS upgrades. The strategy was earlier expected to be applied to Galaxy A55, but the company kept it limited to the flagship phones.
Samsung doesn’t officially consider Galaxy Z as flagship lineup, but it’s the most premium segment. All the novelties that Galaxy S receives also come to foldable phones. Therefore, it’s certain that the company will support its upcoming Galaxy Z phones for 7 years.
Will they survive 7 years?
Sporting a foldable display entirely ends the discussion of longevity. Besides, the pre-applied screen protection film starts to damage within a year of normal usage. Samsung’s innovative foldables are available internationally but support isn’t.
Samsung Care+ plan is also offered by the phone maker for additional protection. However, it still requires the owner to pay the processing fee, which isn’t considerable. Also, the Care+ plan doesn’t cover the Samsung-slapped screen protector film.
So if the Korean phone maker is willing for longer software support, it should rather offer a two-year replacement guarantee on manufacture defects. It would push consumers to prefer foldable phones as they won’t have to worry about display concerns.
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