Samsung's best-selling Galaxy Note 2 is counted as one of the most wanted smartphones in the consumer market. Having sold five million units worldwide in just 60 days of release, the Samsung phablet's popularity is unquestionable; however, with rumors rife that the successor Galaxy Note 3 is set to make an appearance soon, the Note 2 is slowly getting relegated to the backburner.

What's more, recently, several retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Wirefly have slashed the price of the Galaxy Note 2, fueling speculations that the Galaxy Note 3 launch is round the corner.

Amazon recently dropped the price of the 16GB Galaxy Note 2 on Verizon to $149 from $299.99 and Sprint's variant via the e-retailer is available for just $99. Wirefly too is offering the Verizon variant for $199.99 and Best Buy has the T-Mobile variant of the Galaxy Note 2, which normally costs $369.99, up for grabs for a marked down $229.

The Galaxy Note 2 continues to enjoy popularity in the smartphone space, and the half price offers  will be welcomed by consumers who are look to snag a good deal.

It is not uncommon for retailers to offer discounts for popular devices especially when the next-gen version is gearing up for release, and the current one's product lifecycle is nearing its end.

Of late, rumors have run amok that the colossal 6.3-inch Galaxy Note 3 will release at the MWC 2013 in Barcelona this February, and not the IFA 2013 in September as previously speculated. This conjecture could have very well given a fillip to the discounted deals for the Galaxy Note 2, with retailers clamoring to get rid of existing inventory before it becomes outdated.

It is likely that in anticipation of the rumored February debut of the Galaxy Note 3 at the MWC, retailers are all guns blazing and are looking to fuel Galaxy Note 2 sales with clever marketing ploys.

The impending Galaxy Note 3 is speculated to have a 6.3-inch "Youm" flexible display, as well the Exynos 5 Octa or 8-core processor. The Galaxy Note 3 may also pack in ground-breaking features like eye-tracking technology.

With the MWC 2013 a few weeks away, it remains to be seen if the Galaxy Note 3 will make an appearance at the event or stay under wraps.