What you need to know
- Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Fold 2 may not have an S Pen.
- Samsung is apparently yet to complete development of a cover glass capable of being folded and withstanding the pressure from an S Pen.
- The company will likely launch its first foldable phone with S Pen support in 2021.
A report out of South Korea claimed yesterday that the Galaxy Fold 2 will debut alongside the Galaxy Note 20 series and the Galaxy Z Flip 5G at Samsung's upcoming online-only Unpacked event on August 5. The Galaxy Fold 2 is expected to be an impressive upgrade over the Galaxy Fold, with rumors hinting at a bigger display with the same 120Hz refresh rate as the Galaxy S20 series, and upgraded cameras. As per a new report from The Elec, however, the upcoming foldable flagship will not offer S Pen support.
Back in January, leaker Max Weinbach had suggested the Galaxy Fold 2 would arrive in the second quarter of the year with an 8-inch display, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset, and S Pen support. According to The Elec, Samsung has decided not to offer S Pen support on the Fold 2 as the company hasn't yet completed development of a cover glass that can withstand both folding and the pressure from the S Pen.
Samsung apparently tried using a thicker cover glass with just the folding portion being thinner and explored the use of polyimide films as alternatives. However, neither of the two solutions were found to be "sufficient" to be used with the S Pen. The company's first foldable phone with S Pen support is now expected to arrive next year.
If YouTuber Jon Prosser is to be believed, the Galaxy Fold 2 will go on sale in select markets globally from August 20. Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 series and Galaxy Z Flip 5G are also expected to go on sale on the same day.
