Looking back at the first Galaxy Note: being ridiculed and predicted to fail but eventually making history gloriously

Launched in 2011, Galaxy Note is the first product in Samsung's popular phablet line. The Galaxy Note series is loved by many people because of its advanced configuration, very large screen and useful S Pen. Besides Galaxy S, Galaxy Note is one of two "trump cards" of Samsung every year, to strengthen the brand in the mobile market.

However, the Galaxy Note is not always well received today. In fact, the first Galaxy Note was mocked by many consumers and the media for being too big to use every day.

The Galaxy Note has a 5.3-inch screen. This size is very normal, even slightly smaller than it is today, but was considered "massive" at the time, especially when compared to other high-end phones released the same year. For example, the Galaxy S2 has a 4.3-inch screen, while the iPhone 4s screen is only 3.5 inches. For that reason, many people are "shocked" when Samsung launches such a big smartphone.

In a review of the Galaxy Note, ZDNet said , "You will look ridiculous when making calls with the Galaxy Note . " Android Central describes the phone as "more of a technical introduction than a commercial product , " while SlashGear says that " this phone is too big to fit in a pocket".

Android Authority also admitted to having negative comments about the Galaxy Note when a phone that could be used with one hand and easily slipped into the pocket was still preferred by many people.

But all was wrong.

Consumers quickly realized the benefits of a bigger screen and pulled out their pockets to buy. Samsung has caused critics to look back by selling more than 10 million Galaxy Note units in the first 10 months. Although these sales numbers were not record-breaking and were lower than other popular high-end phones at the time (such as the iPhone 4s), they were well above expectations.

The Galaxy Note was a huge success and went down in history as one of the most influential Android phones ever created. It has changed the market by proving that consumers want phones with big screens and are willing to pay a lot for it. The result is a reaction market. Manufacturers have jumped in and gradually started to increase their phone sizes, which is the trend we are seeing today.

Although the Galaxy Note with a 5.3-inch screen seemed "bulky" at the time, it was considered small by today's standards. The latest Galaxy Note 10+, for example, has a 6.8-inch screen, while the S20 Ultra goes one step further with a 6.9-inch screen.

For all that, we have to thank the Galaxy Note. Samsung believes that "bigger is better" and they were right. The technology giant showed the world, in 2011 it was a real innovation. They know what we, the consumers, really want and have brought exactly that, even though we may not even know it is what we need.

Reference: AndroidAuthority