Samsung pays homage to Note heritage with S22 Ultra – it’s a good thing

OPINION: Samsung has made it quite clear that the Galaxy Note will be a key benchmark for the S22 Ultra, and that’s really good news for the mobile phone market.

Galaxy Note is dead; Long live Galaxy Note. This is the message that Samsung seems to have sent from editorial accompanying the announcement of the upcoming Unpacked event this February.

Despite the Note being abruptly discontinued back in 2019, its presence dominated the article like a ghost at a feast, as the head of Samsung’s mobile division lyrically praised its innovation and continued influence in the smartphone space:

…Galaxy Note combines the convenience and portability of a smartphone with a large screen and the functionality of a tablet. Some didn’t like the 5.3-inch display, which was considered huge at the time, but the Note created a legacy where a large display is now the standard. The S Pen also surprised everyone. This gave people the ability to connect creativity with productivity—whenever they were inspired, they could quickly jot down their ideas and thoughts in Samsung Notes.

Dr. Tae Moon Ro

He’s certainly not wrong, and the reasons he gives are the same ones that left many disappointed when the Galaxy Note 20 was confirmed to be the last of its kind.

Of course, reading between the lines, it’s no mere coincidence that the device was given so many names in the article; it’s not just a lovesick loser ruthlessly talking about his ex-girlfriend on the first date. In fact, it seems that the Galaxy Note will essentially be resurrected under the guise of the S22 Ultra, the most premium phone in Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S22 lineup, which unequivocally promises to be “the ultimate Ultra experience.” The three key features that defined the Note series – the built-in S-Pen, the massive screen, and the great camera system – will be back, putting the smartphone market in better shape.

The S-Pen is a particularly useful feature, missing from almost all competing devices, that provides much more precise input than you would expect on your standard finger-friendly touchscreen and can even be used as a remote control. During the design process, you could buy it separately for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, but given the lack of a dedicated slot to house it, you run the risk of losing it every time you pick it up. it’s from your pocket.

The big screens we see on most mobile phones today really owe some of the popularity to the Note line; but there are big ones and there are big, and the ability to view video content on a smartphone screen as small as 7 inches is an attractive prospect for many of us, especially if we’re not yet convinced by the current foldable craze. Just as it’s nice to see smaller screens making a comeback with the likes of the iPhone SE 2, it’s also nice to be able to get bigger; more consumer choice is rarely a bad thing.

Meanwhile, the camera system is rumored to boast more lenses than a pack of paparazzi, allegedly consisting of a 108MP main camera and three 12MP sensors (one ultra-wide, one with 3x optical zoom, and one periscope with 10x optical zoom). zoom). The average phone user certainly doesn’t need all those shots, but if you want to be sure you can take any shot you want and don’t mind paying for the privilege, then an arsenal of sensors should meet all your needs.

The Samsung Galaxy Note has never been the perfect device for every user and never should have been. But if you’re after a completely uncompromising performance-first premium mobile experience, it was the perfect choice – and so for the simple reason that different phones are available for different people with different needs, I’m happy to see it return, albeit in disguise. ; a note by any other name would still smell just as sweet.