As part of its launch of new A-series mid-tier smartphones today, Samsung said that it may not launch a new Note this year because of semiconductor shortages.

“Samsung strives to give consumers what they want and need most,” Samsung president Dr. TM Roh said. “That’s why we set out with a vision for the Galaxy A series to democratize Galaxy innovations for everyone. The Galaxy A52, A52 5G, and A72 encapsulate the Galaxy brand philosophy with cutting-edge innovations, services, and features at an accessible price.”

The three new mid-tier handsets are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 700-series processors, sport 4 to 8 GB of RAM depending on the model, and offer quad-lens camera systems with a 64MP primary lens and a 12 MP ultra-wide lens. Each is available in a variety of fun colors, and one model, the A52 5G, provides 5G support. The Galaxy A52 and A52 5G both have 6.5-inch 1080p displays while the Galaxy A72 has a 6.7-inch 1080p display; all three have 90 Hz refresh rates.

There’s no word yet on pricing, but I’d expect them to land in the $400 to $600 range.

Samsung is also warning customers and investors about how the industry-wide semiconductor shortage will impact its business this coming year.

“There’s a serious imbalance in supply and demand of chips in the IT sector globally,” Dr. Koh said during the firm’s annual shareholders meeting. “Note series is positioned as a high-end model in our business portfolio. It could be a burden to unveil two flagship models in a year so it might be difficult to release [a] Note model in [the second half of 2021]. The timing of Note model launch can be changed but we seek to release a Note model next year.”

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