Samsung Galaxy Note fans have known for some time that a Galaxy Note 21 wasn't happening this year, but the question of whether the Note line would continue into 2022 remained open.
A new leak from @FrontTron seems to slam that door shut with the oft-accurate leaker tweeting, "Sorry Note fans, Galaxy Note is dead. No more new products on bar type Note Series as of now." (via TechRadar).
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Tron went on to say that Samsung refers to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 as the "Note Z" in some of its Korean advertising, lending further support to the notion that the company wants Note fans to move on.
Given his track record, we assume Tron's sources indicating that there is presently no "bar type" (meaning standard smartphone design) Galaxy Note in development at Samsung. That would preclude a Samsung Galaxy Note 21 or Galaxy Note 22 for next year given the development and production timelines involved for a new phone.
Does this really mean that the Galaxy Note is gone forever? Even if this rumor is true, not even Samsung would be able to answer that question definitively. If the company can't keep the Galaxy Note fanbase with S Pen support in other devices, it's possible the Galaxy Note returns in 2023 or beyond. However, it does mean Galaxy Note fans who need to replace their phones in the near future have a hard decision to make.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra would be the obvious choice. Released last fall it remains a fantastic phone and will continue to receive major Android OS updates through 2023. The other options that include S Pen support at the moment are the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Note fans may not be thrilled that they need to have a special case to house the S Pen with these phones, but the core functionality is there.
Non-Samsung options are pretty limited, but on the budget end of things, you have the Moto G Stylus. Don't expect anywhere near the same experience as you get with the S Pen, but it covers the basics for under $300. The other premium option is the Microsoft Surface Duo, don't buy that phone, but the Surface Duo 2 is expected soon and should fix many of the missteps of the original and still support Microsoft's excellent stylus support.
