2021 was a year of change for Samsung's mobile division, and the thing about change is that it's a two-edged sword. Thankfully, it all appears to have worked out well for Samsung in the end. The Galaxy Z foldable series is officially on the map and more successful than ever, and the Z Flip 3 became the first Bespoke phone. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE was Samsung's first Fan Edition tablet, and the transition from Tizen OS for wearables to Wear OS was successful thanks to the Galaxy Watch 4 series.
However, one of the biggest changes for Samsung was the cancellation of the Galaxy Note series. Samsung didn't release a new Galaxy Note in 2021 and has seemingly shelved the series for the time being. The Note brand had existed for a decade, and many customers were not happy with Samsung's unexpected decision to put an end to it.
But looking back at the past twelve months, I'm tempted to say that the most important mobile device for Samsung this year was one that's much smaller and cheaper than the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, the Galaxy Z Flip/Fold 3, and the Galaxy Watch 4. It was the S Pen.
The S Pen was the most important device for Samsung's mobile division in 2021
The Galaxy Note's cancellation this year could've meant the end of the iconic S Pen, but thankfully, it didn't. In fact, the demise of the Galaxy Note series meant that the S Pen was no longer bound to this brand. For the first time in history, the S Pen became compatible with the Galaxy S as well as the Galaxy Z Fold lineups. One could argue that the Galaxy Note's cancellation may help put the S Pen on the map like never before and that the process is already underway.
The S Pen managed to create its own success story amid the Galaxy Note's retirement, and it deserves recognition because of it. The fate of the S Pen in 2021 had paved the way for 2022 and, possibly, years to come. It was a “make or break” moment for Samsung, and the S Pen could've shared the same fate as the Galaxy Note series, but it didn't. The S Pen's proliferation this year signals a stronger focus on this accessory, and there's evidence that Samsung will want to put the S Pen in the hands of many more customers in 2022.
To begin with, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is expected to be the first Galaxy smartphone — that isn't a Note — to feature a dedicated S Pen holster. The Galaxy S21 Ultra was the first to support the S Pen, but it lacks a dedicated slot. The sequel, however, could go that little bit extra.
Moving on to the second half of 2022, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 could also adopt a dedicated S Pen holster, establishing once and for all that this accessory is no longer a niche product but a core component of Samsung's premium experience as a whole. Combined with Galaxy tablets and possibly other types of (foldable / rollable) devices, the S Pen's popularity will only increase.
If the S Pen continues to exist for years to come, we'll all be able to look back to 2021 as the decisive point in time when the story of the S Pen could've taken a very different turn. But the S Pen is seemingly here to stay, so I hereby call 2021 “The Year of the S Pen.”
Join SamMobile’s Telegram group and subscribe to our YouTube channel to get instant news updates and in-depth reviews of Samsung devices. You can also subscribe to get updates from us on Google News and follow us on Twitter.
