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| Roh Tae-moon, president and head of MX Business at Samsung Electronics / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics |
By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note series, which skipped release in 2021, is returning to the market next month with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. With the merging of features from both the S series and the Note series, Galaxy S smartphones are expected to appeal to consumers in the first half of this year with a variety of models ranging from a large-screen device with an S Pen stylus to a small but high-performance smartphone.
Roh Tae-moon, president and head of Samsung's MX (mobile) Business, hinted Friday that the company will release the Galaxy S22 Ultra equipped with the S Pen, at Unpacked, scheduled in February.
"We know many of you were surprised when Samsung didn't release a new Galaxy Note last year," Roh wrote about the product on its website. "You loved the unparalleled creativity and efficiency of the Galaxy Note series, which enabled you to switch from gaming nirvana to high-octane productivity in the blink of an eye," he added.
He also wrote, "At Unpacked in February 2022, we'll introduce you to the most noteworthy S series device we've ever created. The next generation of Galaxy S is here, bringing together the greatest experiences of our Samsung Galaxy into one ultimate device," adding "Get ready for the ultimate ultra experience."
His article is interpreted as a message that Samsung has all but confirmed that it will include the S Pen in the Ultra model, in response to demand for a new Galaxy Note.
In 2021, Koh Dong-jin, then head of Samsung's IT and Mobile Communications division, said it wouldn't release a new product in the Note line that year saying, "It is not that we do not release new products. The timing may vary, but next year we are preparing to continue to do so."
Instead of the Note series, which was historically launched in the second half of the year, Samsung came out with new foldable phones: the Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Galaxy Z Flip3. Although the S Pen was supported for the S21 Ultra and the Z Fold3, it was only available when purchasing a separate case, not embedded in the device's body. For that reason, there had been calls for a new Note series.
Roh also revealed that the new S22 series will be able to deliver improved features such as a camera that can take bright and clear photos and videos in low light, a longer-lasting battery and a processor with high-speed data processing.
