If there's no Galaxy Note 21 this year, what phone will you buy instead?

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra back
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra back (Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

Samsung's Galaxy S21 series has been the talk of the town for the past couple of weeks, but among all of that excitement, we also saw reports of something not nearly as uplifting. Reliable Samsung leaker Ice Universe shared an ominous Tweet saying "Galaxy Note" with a picture that says "The End" — strongly suggesting that there won't be a Note 21 this year.

There have been substantial rumors and reports hinting at the Note line being done for, and especially with the S21 Ultra shipping with S Pen support, a future without a Note seems more likely than ever before.

A few of our AC forum members got to talking about this, saying:

If this year the last Note , I'll get it , keep my Note 20U also and will always have a Note 😎 🙂

mustang7757

Looking at the S21 Ultra, it does not have an expandable SD card slot, doesn't come with a stylus (will support a stylus though) and there is no stylus housing built into the phone itself. Seems like they are making a lower Note capable phone rather than a full on replacement.

wookiee2cu

I think this is the end :( I'm not convinced by the fold I tried one I hate the crease in the middle when it's open (it's visible and annoys me) and when folded the screen keyboard is far too tiny to type on so I am out. Will hold onto the note 20 ultra for a few years and look elsewhere.

bigsmoke79

I think a few people will. I am tempted by the N20U but the Exynos chip inside it puts me off it. Battery life isn't too good by many accounts. I will keep my S10+ for a while longer. Get the battery replaced in the summer and keep it going. It has plenty of space left.

Kizzy Catwoman

All of this got us wondering — If there's no Galaxy Note 21 this year, what phone will you buy instead?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Joe Maring
Joe Maring

Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.
13 Comments
  • The line has pretty much run its course. The S series has been catching up with the Note series for the last couple of years. S-pen support was beginning to feel like the only stand out. It's probably for the best for the phone to die out. Gives Samsung an opportunity to focus more resources on S-series , Foldables and other projects. The Note was for the power user of the 2010s and now almost everybody is a power user. The Note is not so special anymore.
  • I'll hold on to my Note 20 Ultra and see what comes this year and next in the Fold line.
  • This is why I'm getting the S21 Ultra. At least I'll have it if Samsung decides to not go with a Note this year.
  • For me this is the end
    I have been fascinated and using the notes for the last few years since note 5, if no note any more then way one should stick to Samsung as there are many good phone makers out there which worth consideration.
  • I have a fold2 and it's amazing, the fold is the future of Samsung.
  • They should keep the Note line, and stop making the S line as high end. I finally bought one (N20U) and I love it. If they still make money on them, it's silly to get rid of it, although I understand the desire to save development cost. But if they made them the same as the S line, and just added a built in storage for the S-Pen, it shouldn't cost that much to develop. Right now, they develop them almost entirely separate.
  • If Samsung were to embrace the merging of the 2 lines, "S" and "Note" with more conviction, they could make a somewhat simple change -> next year at this point now, but: S22 = straight up update to the S21 .. Fixed storage and the same polycarbonate body, maybe consider the MicroSD slot, but not necessarily.. Let the $; retail cost decide.. S22+ = straight up update to the S21+ .... consider: Re-add the MicroSD slot -- maybe add support for an S-pen, but using the external storage version of the S21 Ultra , making it optional. S22 Note / Ultra = modified to silo the S-pen, house a MicroSD card and be the largest in the line. Basically just a Note, but moved to the "S" line release timeframe and naming convention. But, embracing the core Note feature of silo'ing the S-pen in the device.
    This potentially makes them more appealing to the Note audience and keeps everyone covered with an option. THE top of the S line, with "all" the bells and whistles.. Then, a mid-cycle FE for the S22+ .. Drop the S-pen support to save $ and perhaps the MicroSD slot while retaining the rest of the core tenants that make it an "S" line device.. Maybe consider a top end Snapdragon 7xx series SoC to help cut costs that much more, but at the top end of the Snapdragon 7oo series so it is on par with the 8oo series to be used in the "S proper" series. - maybe even add a "cheaper" bonus feature that distinguishes it from the rest of the S line: the long lost, and to many a coveted feature, bring back the IR blaster - just a thought to add something that can be the thing that pushes the consumer to it over the other "value flagship" options at the time... Just a random thought...
  • I've been wondering for awhile why they don't just merge the lines. I don't care about the Note line itself. I care about having a silo built in for the S Pen. Whatever they want to call the phone doesn't matter to me.
  • They've already got rid of MST and the SD card slot again. If they get rid of the Note (the only phone with an S Pen silo), then there is literally no reason for me not to look elsewhere since those were the three features that kept me with Samsung this long. They'll be like every other phone maker with nothing to differentiate it all that much. I can buy a much cheaper phone that will do the same thing. I might consider a foldable from Samsung because at least that's different from other manufacturers.
  • If there is no Full Note 21, I may just hang onto my N20U until it dies. With all the changes they are making, no SD card , and loosing features over the last few iterations of the Note line. There is now no difference from them or any other manufactures of phones, so I will be free to look elsewhere. H3LL they are trying to be like Apple so much, I can just go out and buy the newest iPhone.
  • I won't buy a phone this year if there's no Note21 Ultra. I probably won't have bought one anyway with the direction Samsung is going with the removal of more features like the MST tech, and now SD card slots. I'll hang on to my Note9 until it stops getting security updates, and then I'll go full Pixel. I already own a Pixel 4XL which I have learned to appreciate. Curse you Samsung! 😡
  • If no new Note this year, I'll keep my Note 20 Ultra. In fact, if there is a new Note, but Samsung removes the micro sd slot, I'll pass on the upgrade. I'm also not happy they got rid of the MST. If they retain the sd slot, I'll upgrade for the faster processor and improved fingerprint reader.
  • Currently I have the Note 10+ if they don't make a new one I am going to buy the Note 20 Ultra.