Galaxy Z Fold S Pen May Return..
The announcement of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 brought with it a significant change that disappointed many users: the removal of S Pen support. For those accustomed to the stylus's precision and utility on their foldable devices, this was a notable downgrade.
Samsung apparently made this design choice primarily to achieve a thinner and lighter device. To do so, they reportedly removed the S Pen digitizer layer from the screen. This trade-off allowed the Z Fold 7 to be significantly slimmer at 4.2mm, compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which measured 5.6mm.
Leading up to the release many tech tipsters, including prominent voices like PandaFlashPro and TechTalkTV, seemed convinced that S Pen functionality would still be present on the Z Fold 7. This created an expectation among enthusiasts, making its eventual absence all the more surprising. So, what happened?
As far as we can now tell, Samsung has been actively working on new active stylus technology. This new approach, potentially similar to the technology used in iPads, would not require a dedicated digitizer and would instead use a powered Pen. However, with no Pen in sight, it seems that this new Active Stylus technology might not have been ready for the Fold 7 as many had hoped.
The S Pen’s Return?
For those hoping for the S Pen's return, there's good news. Samsung has indicated that S Pen support may return on future Galaxy Z Fold phones. In an interview with ETNews, Kang Min-seok, executive director of Samsung Electronics' MX business division, addressed the S Pen's absence directly. He said, "The Fold 7 emphasized that consumers want a ‘thin and light product.’ Please think of it as a ‘trade-off’ where you lose one if you choose one.” He further added, "We are also researching and developing thinner and innovative technologies for the S Pen, so we will reconsider it when the level of perfection increases and there is consumer demand.” Regarding the future direction of foldable phone technology development, Executive Director Kang emphasized, "We are pursuing a perfect product balance, not just thinness and lightness." This suggests that while the S Pen was temporarily sacrificed for a more svelte design, Samsung envisions its place in the future of their foldable lineup, potentially with models like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, if customer demand remains high and the new technology is ready.
To add another data point, I ran a poll on my YouTube community page asking people how often they used the S Pen on their Z Fold. Bearing in mind that my poll can only report the stated rate of my viewers, not the overall accurate rate, this numbers were higher than I expected.. 24% of the nearly 1,000 respondants said they used the pen daily.. Are you listening, Samsung?
Given that no new internal hardware, specifically a digitizer, is needed for this new active stylus technology, it's entirely possible that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could receive S Pen support later on via a software update and the release of the new pen. While certainly not a likely for many reasons, the hardware wouldn't be a limiting factor.
Ultimately, it appears Samsung is closely monitoring user demand for the S Pen on its foldable devices. Once their innovative active stylus technology reaches the desired level of “perfection,” a return of the beloved S Pen seems plausible. However, a more cynical view might suggest that the S Pen was strategically removed only to be reintroduced later with significant fanfare, reigniting interest in future Galaxy Z Fold models. Is your glass half full or half empty?