We've been hearing the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 is likely canceled, with even the CEO all but confirming it, but the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable phone could take its place as the company's stylus-toting business phone.
Rumors have suggested for a while now that either the Z Flip 3 or Z Fold 3 could come with an S Pen stylus, or at least be compatible with it (like the S21 Ultra), and Dutch website LetsGoDigital has published a report suggesting the Z Flip 3 will be the one.
According to LetsGoDigital, Samsung filed a trademark for the phrase 'Z Flip' in May 2021 in Europe, with the description 'smartphones, tablets, protective covers; electronic pen; capacitive stylus'.
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It seems this patent is for devices relating to the next Z Flip phone, including accessories and extras for the device that you can buy separately. By the sounds of it, styli are among the peripherals that'll be branded with the Z Flip moniker, strongly suggesting the next phone in the line will support the feature.
It's still not clear if the Z Flip 3 will be built around the stylus experience, like the Note phones which had slots to store the S Pen when it wasn't in use, or whether it will simply support the accessory if you want to buy it, like the S21 Ultra.
This joins news from MyFixGuide, which found the Z Flip 3 listed in a Chinese certification database. Apparently, the phone will use 15W wired charging, which is pretty slow.
The Note is dead, long live the Z Flip
While the reports of the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 being canceled are just as unconfirmed as reports of the Z Flip 3 being compatible with the S Pen, if we presume both are true, it paints an intriguing picture of the company's late-2021 prospects.
The Galaxy Note series has long been a late-game staple of each year, as it's a chance for Samsung to show off its new tech for the year in a top-end device aimed at buyers with big pockets.
However reports suggest the Note series never sold as well as the Galaxy S line, or the affordable Galaxy A range. While the biggest rumors suggest the Note line is canceled only for 2021, with future devices still planned, others think the Note phones will be gone for good.
Perhaps in 2021, Samsung is preparing to position the Z Flip range (and maybe the Z Fold devices too) as the new Notes; expensive and flashy devices with loads of cutting-edge technology.
That's just speculation, but speculation guided by rumors and industry trends. We'll have to wait to see if it's true though; we'd expect the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 to launch in August, if at all, and we've no idea when the Z Flip 3 will land, so it could be around then.
