No new Galaxy Note this year, Samsung exec confirms
Mobile comms head confirms rumour that the company is focusing on its 'Fold' range


The future of Samsung's Galaxy Note appears to be in doubt after the company revealed it would be pushing most of the range's features onto other devices for this year's release cycle.
Confirmation came from Samsung’s president and head of Mobile Communications Business, TM Roh, speaking ahead of August's Unpacked event, which typically showcases the company's latest hardware.
The virtual event, which will be held on 11 August on Samsung’s website, will likely showcase the highly-anticipated Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, images of which were leaked in June.
However, the Galaxy Note smartphone has been notably absent from leaks and conversations ahead of the event, leading some to speculate that the brand may be pushed aside in favour of folding hardware.
Roh has now published a statement clarifying the situation:
“Instead of unveiling a new Galaxy Note this time around, we will further broaden beloved Note features to more Samsung Galaxy devices,” he said, referring to the “first-ever S Pen designed specifically for foldable phones”.
The S Pen has been a long-time staple of the Galaxy Note smartphone range since the launch of its first iteration in 2011, allowing users to jot down details of a business meeting or to-do list by turning the device’s touchscreen into a notepad.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
RELATED RESOURCE
How to maximise the value of your data and apps with IaaS
Free yourself from infrastructure complexity
The useful feature is now being expanded to Samsung’s foldable smartphone range, with leaked photos of the Z Fold 3 visibly including a stylus pen stored at the back of its book-like spine.
On Wednesday, Roh said that “the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold combines the very best that smartphones and tablets offer and delivers completely new ways of working, connecting and creating, while the upcoming Z Flip exhibits an even more refined style, armed with more durable, stronger materials”.
“I firmly believe these devices will answer the call for the versatile mobile technology we need as we navigate the open road ahead,” he added.
Samsung’s decision to skip the Galaxy Note in favour of its new foldable phones has been long-rumoured, with sources telling Reuters late last year that the tech giant didn’t have plans to develop a 2021 iteration of the range.
At a shareholder meeting in March, Samsung co-CEO Koh Dong-jin warned of a “serious imbalance in supply and demand of chips in the IT sector globally”, adding that although the “Note series is positioned as a high-end model in [Samsung’s] business portfolio (...) it might be difficult to release [a] Note model in 2H [of 2021]”.
“It could be a burden to unveil two flagship models in a year,” he said, referring to January’s launch of the Galaxy S21. However, the company didn’t rule out that the Note could make a return in 2022.
Having only graduated from City University in 2019, Sabina has already demonstrated her abilities as a keen writer and effective journalist. Currently a content writer for Drapers, Sabina spent a number of years writing for ITPro, specialising in networking and telecommunications, as well as charting the efforts of technology companies to improve their inclusion and diversity strategies, a topic close to her heart.
Sabina has also held a number of editorial roles at Harper's Bazaar, Cube Collective, and HighClouds.
-
AI is helping bad bots take over the internet
News Automated bot traffic has surpassed human activity for the first time in a decade, according to Imperva
By Bobby Hellard
-
Two years on from its Series B round, Hack the Box is targeting further growth
News Hack the Box has grown significantly in the last two years, and it shows no signs of slowing down
By Ross Kelly
-
Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 review: Almost the perfect big-screen laptop
Reviews The Book 5 Pro 360 is a laptop you slowly get accustomed to, rather than one that feels right from the word go.
By Stuart Andrews
-
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ review: Possibly the best Android tablet for business
Reviews With good performance, AI features and an exceptional screen, the Tab S10+ is the best Android tablet out there, if not quite the best tablet overall
By Stuart Andrews
-
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: Samsung's big-screen tablet is an AI-powered multitasking monster
Reviews The sheer size won't be for everyone, but the Tab S10 Ultra has the screen, performance, and multitasking prowess for serious work
By Stuart Andrews
-
Rugged goes mainstream
whitepaper Why every business needs rugged devices to get the job done
By ITPro
-
Why tougher doesn’t need to mean harder
whitepaper Bridging the rugged and consumer device divide
By ITPro
-
Samsung reveals plans for $15bn chip research center to break semiconductor scaling barriers
News The news follows the company's proposal in July to build 11 Texas semiconductor plants worth $191 billion
By Praharsha Anand
-
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 hands-on review: A welcome (if minor) update
First look Samsung’s latest foldable is appealing, but does little to stand out from its predecessor
By Adam Shepherd
-
Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 review: A groundbreaking display for work and play
Reviews The world’s first 4K/240Hz screen delivers sensational contrast and great colours, albeit for a high price
By Mike Jennings