This phablet, which was presented during the IFA trade fair held in Berlin, at the end of August, was a risky bet by Samsung since we must not forget that the phablet segment was not present in the market until the Korean company launched the first model. Well, it seems that Galaxy Note 2 has behaved well in terms of sales refers.
Samsung has made it official that it has sold three million units of this device in just over a month, which is a very good result if you take into account the market context and that it is a high-end model. In addition, it has had to deal with terminals of excellent quality, such as its “brother” Galaxy S3 or iPhone 5. In any case, this good performance of the product is not surprising, since we must not forget that the global marketing campaign that has accompanied it has been very important (even, all the important operators in the US have already offered it in their catalogue). To this first milestone we must add another: the pace of adoption was such that Samsung itself placed the total at five million in less than two months since its launch.
Obviously, the figures are not close to those of their market rivals, but we must not forget that Galaxy Note 2 is not a phone to use, since it has a 5,5 inch which is not always necessary for users and, consequently, its dimensions are really large compared to any model with a 4-inch screen.
Inaccurate data
While the information is very accurate as to how long this amount of sales has been achieved, 37 daysWhat isn't indicated is whether these are actual sales or the units that Samsung managed to move in the market... which isn't the same thing, and, honestly, more specificity from the Korean company would have been appreciated. In any case, these aren't bad numbers. It's worth distinguishing between sell-in (distribution to operators and retail) and sell through (sales to the end user): the manufacturer usually reports the first ones, which already reflect commercial traction and channel confidence.
Sales rate and comparisons with its predecessor and the Galaxy range
The shared figures place the Note II with 3 million in 37 days y 5 million in less than two months, a pace that doubles that of the first Note, which barely surpassed one million in the same period and needed several months to reach five million. Compared to the company's best-seller, Galaxy S3, which surpassed twenty million in around one hundred days, the Note II performs outstandingly for a niche device with a premium price.
This acceleration suggests that the phablet format has ceased to be a rarity and has become established as a category with sustained demand. As the price was adjusted As the months passed and operators launched promotions, analysts already anticipated that the Note II could easily surpass the ten million barrier in its initial life cycle.
Commercial strategy: operators, marketing and deployment
The commercial push was global, with simultaneous presence in the main markets and special care in the United States, where the five major operators —AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular— added the Note II to their catalog. In Canada, the company made a striking presentation with the artist PSY, reinforcing the brand recognition.
Initial distribution was measured to ensure stock availability during periods of high demand and key campaigns. In reports from independent firms such as IDC, Samsung was listed as leader in smartphone shipments on a global scale with tens of millions of units per quarter, practically doubling its competitor in some periods, which supports the strength of its supply chain.
In parallel, the Note II also made headlines on the legal front, when Apple tried to include the device in a patent claim in the United States along with other Samsung products. These legal actions did not affect the commercial deployment of the team, but they underline the strategic relevance of the product in the industry.
Why it convinced: large screen, power and S Pen
Beyond size, the Note II came with high-end hardware and its own functions that explain its adoption:
- Screen 5,5-inch HD Super AMOLED with 1280x720 pixels, 16:9 aspect ratio and great use of the front.
- Unlimited powered by a 1,6 GHz quad-core Exynos processor and 2 GB of RAM, fluent in multitasking and gaming.
- Cameras: : 8 MP main camera with Full HD recording and 1,9 MP front camera suitable for video calls.
- Storage 16/32/64 GB expandable via microSD, a clear advantage over rivals without expansion.
The big difference was the S Pen, with 24 pressure levels and a software ecosystem that took advantage of it: Popup Notes to take notes instantly during a call, Quick command to launch actions by typing gestures, EasyClip to clip content and share, photo note to write on the back of the photos, in addition to Multi Window to split the screen and work on two apps at the same time. Features like Smart Stay, Direct Call, Pop Up Play o S Voice completed the experience. As a nice touch, the Air View preview later became popular on other models; on the Note II, the pointer zoom enabled previews in certain apps.
Impact on the industry and future of the range
Be that as it may, what is quite clear is that Samsung has created a new product range which has its market share and, as such, must be recognized. Furthermore, it is clear that sales have to be moderately good overall, since many manufacturers such as LG or HTC already have or are working on similar devices. Therefore, the Galaxy Note range has a long way to go, and Samsung understands this, already offering a 10,1-inch tablet with an S Pen and expecting a 7-inch model to arrive soon.
The success of the Note II confirmed that the stylus was experiencing a second youth on capacitive screens, driving developers and third parties (already accessory manufacturers) to optimize apps for writing and creativity. And, although it's not a phone "for everyone," its productivity, content consumption, and stylus precision proposal set a new standard. before and after in the Galaxy family.
With a start of 3 million in 37 days and the barrier of 5 million in less than two monthsThe Note II confirmed that there was an audience willing to embrace large screens when accompanied by a distinctive experience. Its combination of capable hardware, S Pen tools, and a carefully crafted marketing strategy explain why this model became a benchmark in the phablet format.
