Galaxy Z Fold 7 Could Arrive With Downgraded S Pen Support
These are not the best of times for fans of the S Pen, the classic stylus compatible with some Galaxy flagship phones and tablets. Samsung downgraded the S Pen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra by removing Bluetooth support. This killed features like Air Actions and the remote camera shutter. A new report suggests that Samsung may downgrade the S Pen support on the next-gen Galaxy Z Fold 7 as well.
Some background on Samsung foldables’ S Pen support
Samsung introduced S Pen support on its Galaxy Z Fold devices starting with the third generation. The so-called “S Pen Fold Edition” is not exactly the same as the one you find on the Galaxy S Ultra. The accessory is specifically designed for the unique properties of foldable screens to avoid damaging them. However, after multiple generations, the Galaxy Z Fold series still does not have a dedicated S Pen slot. If you want to carry it with you, you will have to buy a special case.
Perhaps this limitation has caused many people to not really use the S Pen on their Galaxy Z Fold phones. According to Samsung, the removal of the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s S Pen’s Bluetooth was due to low usage rates by the public. Even with a less capable stylus, the pre-order stage is proving successful for the company, which suggests that not many actually gave these features any importance. Samsung might have noticed this and decided to remove S Pen features from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as well.
S Pen could get a downgrade on the Galaxy Z Fold 7
According to tipster @kro_roe on X/Twitter, there will be an “S Pen downgrade” on Samsung’s next-gen Z Fold model. The main goal of this would be to achieve the “slimmest Fold ever,” the source adds. Currently, the Galaxy Z Fold SE is the thinnest foldable smartphone in the firm’s history. Its thickness reaches 4.9 mm when unfolded compared to 5.6 mm on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, Samsung had to make one major sacrifice to achieve this: complete incompatibility with the S Pen.
The leak mentions an “S Pen downgrade,” so Samsung may not go as far as to completely remove stylus support on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. On the Galaxy S25 Ultra, removing the Bluetooth chip allowed the company to make the stylus slightly lighter. A recent video teardown also confirmed the removal of the small wireless charging piece dedicated to the stylus. This allowed the company to reduce the thickness of the S25 Ultra.
Is Chinese competition causing concern for Samsung?
Samsung could also be trying to compete in the “slim phone” segment. The Galaxy Z Fold SE launch, although limited to South Korea, may have been the first step. The firm will also release the Galaxy S25 Edge with a slim profile in the coming months. Pressure from big Chinese phone makers may be causing concern for the company. Brands like OPPO have launched foldables that are much thinner and more advanced than the Galaxy Z Folds. Reports suggest that the forthcoming OPPO Find N5 will boast a thickness of approximately 4 mm, if not less.
