From 2012 to 2014, the Samsung Galaxy line replaced envelopes for revealing American Music Awards winners.
The change was part of a sponsorship by Samsung Electronics. Rather than opening a conventional envelope, presenters used Samsung Galaxy smartphones whose lock-screen wallpaper concealed the winner’s name. A magnetic screen cover kept the display hidden until the reveal, turning the announcement into a branded piece of technology theater.
The device-based presentation fit the AMAs’ broader emphasis on public participation and contemporary music culture. It also made the winner reveal visually distinctive for a television audience: the phone became both the award card and the sponsor’s product placement.
The answer refers to the Galaxy smartphone family, not specifically the Galaxy Note. The Note was one product line within Samsung’s wider mobile portfolio, whereas the award-show descriptions identify the Galaxy line generally. The practice lasted through the 2014 ceremony; it should not be confused with the later return to more traditional presentation methods.