What you need to know
- Recent reports suggest a built-in S Pen may not be likely on the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
- Internal space limitations are among the top concerns when considering a dedicated slot within the next Fold phone.
- Samsung has reportedly considered slimming down the S Pen to fit one. However, issues with how it feels to write with a thinner tool are slowing the process.
Our hopes of a Galaxy Z Fold 5 with a built-in S Pen slot may be dashed if the latest report is to be believed.
According to the Korean news website ETNews, Samsung has seemingly shelved its plans to provide a built-in S Pen with the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5. There were reports of Samsung being interested in providing a dedicated slot for its S Pen, but it now looks like those plans are being scrapped due to issues securing the internal space required in the Fold series.
Samsung delivering a device that features a built-in S Pen is nothing new as we've been graced with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and the recent Galaxy S23 Ultra has continued that Note legacy much as its predecessor did. For the Z Fold 5, one of the "technical hurdles" is that it becomes thicker whenever Samsung tries to house the S Pen within the phone.
Lately, the only way to house an S Pen with the foldable would be to snag one of the best Galaxy Z Fold 4 cases, as many of those feature a slot for one.
EtNews mentioned a Samsung official who commented about the new hinge technology for the Fold 5 and how that and its internal components make it difficult to house an S Pen. The company is working on making the Fold line thinner and more pocketable, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 was rumored to feature a new teardrop-style hinge design, doing away with the previous "U-Shape" hinge featured on the Fold 4. This would eliminate the slight gap between screens, allowing both halves of the phone to nestle gently against one another.
Seeing as the Galaxy Z Fold 5 would slim down a touch with a hinge change like this, Samsung, including an S Pen would only negate this. However, the company is allegedly interested in making a thinner S Pen to combat this problem.
That said, one clear issue is how a thinner S Pen apparently makes writing feel less natural. For now, it looks like Samsung is going to focus on a way to make a thinner S Pen feel better to write with before offering a dedicated Fold slot, meaning it likely won't be ready in time for the next Fold.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 finally features flagship level cameras along with great performance and battery life. With the Galaxy Z Fold 4 opening like a book, the phone delivers a multitasking experience like no other. You can start on your cover screen before opening up a new Galaxy.
