The S Pen was the most important Galaxy Note feature. Nonetheless, many people were curious about what would happen to the rumored S Pen when Samsung ultimately discontinued the Note series with the Galaxy Note 20 smartphones. The Galaxy S21 Ultra was the first phone other than a Note to accommodate the S Pen, however, it was missing a slot. Similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 also supports the S Pen but does not have a slot. So it seems that not even the next Galaxy Z Fold 5 will have an S Pen slot.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Galaxy S23 Ultra serve as examples that including a S Pen slot in a typical candy-bar design phone is much simpler. Now it seems like Samsung is experiencing some difficulties with the anticipated Galaxy Z Fold 5. According to the ET News story, Samsung was developing the function but ultimately opted against including the slot due to design. The insider further said that adding the slot is totally feasible but would make the already bulky phone thicker.
Furthermore, according to the insider, Samsung is developing a slimmer S Pen without sacrificing functionality, although it may not be available in time for the next Galaxy Z Fold 5. According to a source connected to the outlet:
The hinge structure of the new foldable product has changed and the internal space structure has also changed, making it difficult to mount the S Pen.”
It is not a trivial thing to have a S Pen slot, particularly on a foldable where there would be some processing challenges. To begin with, this may have an impact on the device’s battery size, thickness, or other omissions.
Like its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be a great gadget to use a S Pen on, but as of this writing, we are unsure whether Samsung will be able to reduce the S Pen’s thickness to ensure that it glides into the chassis comfortably. Whatever the situation, we’ll be watching to see how Samsung resolves it or chooses to ignore it entirely.