According to a screenshot posted on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo, Samsung has managed to move 10.9 million units of the Galaxy S22 Ultra off the shelves so far (via). The Galaxy Note 8, which debuted in 2017 to rebuild the Korean firm’s reputation following the Galaxy Note 7 disaster a year earlier, came closest with a sales figure of 10.3 million units. However, Samsung could never attract as many buyers for its S Pen-equipped Note phones again. Sales volume dwindled to just 7.5 million units with the Galaxy Note 20 series in 2020. That was possibly the tipping point for the company as it didn’t launch a Galaxy Note 21 last year. The Galaxy S21 Ultra did support the S Pen. But it didn’t have a silo to store or charge it. The device also didn’t look and feel like a Note phone. So it didn’t cater to hard-core Note fans. But with the Galaxy S22 Ultra this year, Samsung changed the game. It made a new Note phone in it. Just that it lacked the name. But Note fans said “what’s in the name, anyway,” and bought the Galaxy S22 Ultra like crazy. Despite it starting at $1,199, which is pretty expensive, the phone has already sold almost 11 million units. With the Galaxy S23 series in early 2023 being Samsung’s next conventional (non-folding) flagship lineup, the company could further add to that number.
Samsung is reaping the benefits of merging the Galaxy S and Note series
Samsung launched two flagship smartphone series — Galaxy S and Galaxy Note — for almost a decade before deciding to discontinue the latter last year. This decision didn’t go down too well among its fans initially. Particularly among those who preferred the square-ish design of the Note phones over the more generic Galaxy S design. But most of them are now content since the company has resurrected it within the Galaxy S lineup. “Starting from this year, Galaxy Note will appear in the form of S Ultra every year,” the same source recently quoted Samsung’s mobile boss TM Roh as saying. This decision not only gives the Galaxy S phones more time in the market but also lets the Korean firm pitch its foldable lineup as mainstream devices. The company is betting heavily on these non-conventional smartphones. It remains to be seen how popular foldables get over the next few years.
