[Updated at 2:20 p.m. 3/28 to reflect 5 million sales of Galaxy Note handsets.]
That’s how many Samsung Galaxy Note handsets have sold over the last five months, the company announced. Earlier this month, Samsung said it had moved 2 million Galaxy Notes, but since then it has shipped another 3 million units.
The phone must be selling well if Samsung sent out millions more units this month. In the United States, AT&T currently sells the Galaxy Note for $300 with a contract.
Why Popular?
The Galaxy Note’s standout feature is its 5.3-inch AMOLED display, which makes other large phones look puny in comparison. Having tested the Note, I think its display is a glory to behold, but its size has drawbacks: It’s nearly impossible to operate with one hand because your thumb can’t stretch the full span of the screen, and it looks a bit silly when making phone calls.
But for a niche of users who want a tablet-like device that makes phone calls and fits in a pants pocket—yes, it does fit if you’re not wearing tight clothes–the Galaxy Note makes sense. For those users, the Note’s sales milestone is good news, increasing the odds that Samsung and other companies will keep experimenting with phone-tablet hybrids in the future.
As for garish Super Bowl ads, I have a feeling this year’s will be the last.
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