It has almost been a decade since the very first Galaxy Note was launched back in 2011. The tech media had some trouble wrapping their head around this device. It had a stylus at a time when the iPhone had been credited for wiping stylus-equipped phones off the market. It also had a 5.3-inch display which was considered too big. Of course, that's not the case today.
One can surely credit the Galaxy Note lineup with pushing the industry to adopt larger displays. The success of this series is a testament to Samsung's forward-thinking. It went completely against the tide and proved everyone that doubted the necessity of a large device with a stylus wrong.
Since then, smartphones have continued to grow larger. Most customers would just scoff at a phone with a display under 5-inches now. It doesn't make sense to have such tiny displays anymore because everybody likes their multimedia content on large screens. However, there has to come a time when one needs to ask, how big is too big for the device to be considered a normal smartphone?
If recent reports are accurate, the Galaxy Note 20+ will have a 6.9-inch display. That's almost the same size as some of Samsung's early tablets. You may remember a few years ago when 7-inch tablets were all the rage. The aspect ratio difference notwithstanding, we are now at a point in time when a nearly 7-inch display on a smartphone doesn't seem outlandish anymore.
Enter foldable smartphones. The whole idea behind foldable smartphones is that you can have a larger display in a device that can be condensed down into a smaller package. It becomes easier to live with and carry around as opposed to a conventional smartphone with a giant display. So if you were in the market for a phone with the largest display but also had the option for added convenience, wouldn't you prefer a foldable phone?
This might be a question that some Galaxy Note 20 owners may find themselves grappling with when both devices become available. It's also pertinent to mention here that the Galaxy Fold 2 will likely have a 7.7-inch display, so springing a bit more will provide you with the largest display yet on a device that can conceivably call itself a smartphone.
As one of the only companies offering multiple truly foldable smartphones, Samsung does provide customers with the option to switch should they feel the need to. As the line between the Galaxy Fold and the Galaxy Note lineups begins to blur, it seems like the decision to choose between the two will only get tougher, with the Galaxy Fold having an advantage because of the uniqueness of its form factor and the new user experiences that it can provide.
This may get tougher still in the future, particularly if Samsung were to bring S Pen support to the Galaxy Fold, something that a lot of its fans are waiting for. Sure, when you do buy a foldable phone you'll need to give up a few things. There won't be an IP rating so your phone won't be water-resistant and it won't be as durable as a conventional smartphone, but none of these things are deal-breakers.
That being said, do you feel that on some level, Samsung is trying to nudge its Galaxy Note customers to adopt the Galaxy Fold? The demographic that made the Galaxy Note the success it is today has the potential to elevate the Galaxy Fold to the same level of success. If this really is the case, do you think that it will ever happen? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this, please do share them in the comments below.
