With 8 Series on, will Samsung Galaxy Note revolution continue?

Since it first hit the market, smartphone users across the world have continue to keep new dates with Samsung Galaxy Note Series. So far, 8 Series have been in the market and from all indications, these may not be all.

Will the consumers yearn for more of this brand? Or will Samsung still give more Series to the market? Will the recall and re-entry of the Note 7 Series make any difference? These are questions that may not get immediate answer. But how did the journey start?

As at 2011, smartphones with 4.3-inch screen were considered to be big. But, when Samsung unveiled the first Galaxy Note featuring a massive 5.3-inch display, consumers were stunned and they welcomed this new Note. The S Pen, which was almost non-existence at the time, was also a distinguishing factor for the Note series. The speed of its 1.4 GHz dual-core processor and the benefit of such a large screen size played a major role in its distinction and functionality.

Then, came the slimmer Galaxy Note II which featured improvements to the original Note’s hardware with a quad-core processor and a larger 5.5 inches (140 mm) display, enhanced S Pen experience, an upgraded digitizer with 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity for more precise pen input.

It had features such as the pen gestures, split-screen multitasking, and the Air View, which allowed previews of content to be displayed with the pen hovering above the screen.

When consumers were still savouring the flexibility of the Series, the Note 3 entered the market, inn which Samsung upgraded the design by introducing a more “premium” faux-leather stitch pattern that adorned the edges of the rear casing with a screen size of 5.7 inch (145 mm) display, 3 GB RAM, 13 MP camera, 32GB or 64 GB storage, and expanded stylus pen functionality.

Other firsts in the Series were the micro USB 3.0 port for faster charging and data connectivity, and a slew of new S Pen related functions. The new Air Command View feature does not only alert the user when the S Pen is removed from its slot; it also notifies if the S Pen is placed too far away from the phone. Its productivity became enhanced with the addition of Multi Window, which allows the user multi-task while using the device.

Apparently not done, Samsung stormed the market again with Galaxy Note 4, a regal phone featuring metal trimmed frame and a plastic leather back. Described as a beast of a phone by both users and other industry stakeholders, the Note 4 featured a 5.7-inch (145 mm) Quad HD resolution, a 16 MP camera with OIS, improved S-Pen stylus, and an upgraded digitizer with 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity and expanded functionality. It carried a finger print sensor, which was embedded into the home button.

The fifth generation model, Note 5 has a glass and metal construction, with premium amenities such as a more responsive fingerprint sensor, heart rate sensor, and an updated S Pen. The Note 5 also featured wireless charging and adopted an auto-eject mechanism for the S Pen to mimic the click you get with a pen. It also had a feature that allowed the user to instantly jot down a note the moment the S Pen was ejected.

On August 2, 2016, the world’s most anticipated phone was officially released as a successor to the Galaxy Note 5. The Note 7 was described as an evolution, inheriting the hardware components of the Galaxy Note 5. The Note 7 was not just water resistant; it also came with a water-resistant stylus pen that acts as more than just a writing tool. The pen was IP68 certified with 0.7mm thin diameter, allowing users jot down or draw on the screen even without having to unlock the device by using the Screen-off feature and pinning the memo to the AlwaysOn display.

The device featured a 5.7inch QHD Super AMOLED screen delivering a bold and immersive picture on smartphone. It was ready to stream HDR video, enabling a cinema-like experience, ensuring users get the full experience the filmmaker intended. The Note 7 had a 12 mega pixel (MP) rear camera with optical stabilization and a 5MP front-facing shooter. The Note7 ran on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and came with a 3,500mAh battery, 64GB of internal memory, expandable storage and micro SD support up to 256GB.

On September 2, 2016, Samsung Electronics officially announced the Galaxy Note 7 replacement program due to a rare battery cell manufacturing error, which had led to few reported incidents. The isolated battery cell problem caused many Note 7 units to overheat and combust. On 10 October 2016, Samsung permanently discontinued the Galaxy Note 7 due to these repeated incidents. The company apologized and promised to do better.

After the successful launch and subsequent unfortunate recall and discontinuation of the Note 7, some assumed that the Note 8 might never happen. However, the Note 8 has since been referred to as Samsung’s humble return to the Note Series with a gorgeous design, incredible 6.3-inch screen, great software, excellent stylus. Consumers do not need to worry about the safety of the device as the battery has undergone Samsung’s 8-Point Battery Safety Check—the most rigorous in the industry.

The Galaxy Note 8 is the sleekest Note ever produced, combining amazing features from previous Notes to create a blend of telephony magic.

The device is also water and dust resistant (IP68). Users do not have to worry about getting the device damaged when accidentally dropped in fresh water, as deep as 1.5 metres, for up to 30 minutes. Built with 6GB RAM, a 10nm processor, and expandable memory (up to 256GB), the Galaxy Note 8 offers users more flexibility for browsing the internet, streaming videos, playing games, and multitasking.