The encyclopedia · Product & Design · Product decision · 2011–2012
Samsung's Galaxy Note was mocked as too big — it created the phablet market
Samsung launched the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note in 2011. Critics said it was too big. 'Phablet' was a slur. It sold 10M units and created a new category.
Samsung · 2011-10-29
What happened
On October 29, 2011, Samsung launched the Galaxy Note, a smartphone with a 5.3-inch display. At the time, most phones had screens between 3.5 and 4.3 inches. The Galaxy Note was noticeably larger than anything else on the market. Samsung had bet that consumers wanted a bigger screen for web browsing, media, and the S Pen stylus.
The reaction was skeptical. Critics called the phone 'too big' to hold to your ear, saying users would look 'like a tool.' The term 'phablet' — a portmanteau of 'phone' and 'tablet' — was coined as a derogatory label. Industry analysts predicted failure. The size seemed like a mistake.
Consumers disagreed. By December 2011, two months after launch, Samsung had shipped 1 million units. By March 2012, 5 million. By August 2012, 10 million. The Galaxy Note had not just sold well — it had created a new category. Every major smartphone maker soon followed with larger screens.
The Galaxy Note's success reshaped the smartphone industry. Apple launched the iPhone 6 Plus with a 5.5-inch screen in 2014. By 2020, the average smartphone screen was over 6 inches. The 'too big' phone had become the standard. What was mocked as a mistake had defined the future of mobile.
Why it happened
- Samsung launched the Galaxy Note with a 5.3-inch screen in 2011 — critics called it too big and 'phablet' was a derogatory term meant to mock the size
- The Galaxy Note sold 10 million units in its first year, creating the phablet category — what the market called a mistake was actually what consumers wanted
- Every major phone maker followed with larger screens, and by 2020 the average smartphone screen was over 6 inches — the 'too big' phone became the standard
The lesson
Samsung made a phone critics said was too big. 'Phablet' was meant as an insult. But users wanted bigger screens. What the market called a mistake was actually the future.
Sources
- Samsung Galaxy Note (original) — Wikipedia (launch, 5.3-inch screen, critical reception, 'phablet' as derogatory term, sales of 10M units)
- Engadget — Samsung Galaxy Note review (5.3-inch screen, size skepticism, S Pen)
- CNET — Samsung: 10M Galaxy Notes sold in nine months (5M and 10M sales, phablet category, too big/too small reaction)
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