Is the phablet the next sensation? In October of 2011, Samsung introduced the Samsung Galaxy Note N7000 16GB Unlocked Android Smartphone – Dark Blue. The Samsung Galaxy Note is a hybrid between smartphones and tablets. The package comes loaded with a 5.3-inch screen and a stylus. Is Apple worried about this new phablet? Maybe.

Only time will tell if consumers want a new type of consolidated smartphone that has a bigger screen, camera, stylus, and has the capability of web browsing, email, games, or viewing photos and videos. To consolidate or to not consolidate? This is the question to have with that ice cream sandwich.

In December of 2011, Samsung had shipped a million of these phablets in two months, and by the first quarter of 2012, over 5 million had been sold. By June of 2012, 7 million of the Samsung Galaxy Notes had been shipped. This is a lot of sales folks.

If my memory serves me right (no pun intended), Steve Jobs was not a fan of the stylus. But somehow, in technology, things have a way of changing and people have a way of moving on. Samsung hopes that the S Pen catches on in a big way. You can write that down.

On August 29th, of 2012, Samsung will debut the Galaxy II, in Berlin, Germany. Apple is expected to showcase the latest version of the iPhone, which should be released in September. The next IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) will be held from August 31, to September 5, 2012.

The size of the screen of the Galaxy Note is about twice the size of the iPhone. The body is built from plastic with a metallised rim, and the front panel is made of Gorilla Glass. Steve Jobs convinced Wendell Weeks, the CEO of Corning, to develop the Gorilla Glass. This was released in June of 2007.

“Also in 2012, Corning and Samsung announced a joint venture to manufacture Lotus Glass, a next generation material to complement Gorilla glass with enhanced thermal and dimensional stability to enable greater resolution, speedier response times and reduced warping in electronic devices.”

Samsung was once a follower in smartphone sales, but it overtook Apple last year to become the world’s largest smartphone maker. Maybe Apple should be worried.