Rumors suggested that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 would feature the S Pen for the first time in the Fold lineup. Since that did not happen, the speculation has now moved on to the upcoming Z Fold 3 for 2021, though reports say that Samsung will need to switch to a different technology.
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The Galaxy Note series uses the Electro-Magnetic Resonance (EMR) technology for its S Pens that allows for low latency and high accuracy compared to the older Active Electrostatic Solution (AES) styluses. EMR is also generally cheaper.
However, Samsung reportedly ran into problems integrating EMR with Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) on its latest foldable, which is why it had to drop the S Pen on the Fold 2. Unless these issues are fixed with newer models, reports believe that Samsung will be switching to AES for the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
AES technology is used by Microsoft Surface tablets and Apple’s iPad. It allows for pixel-perfect accuracy and tilt recognition while minimizing drift and jitter. The S pen has had support for tilt recognition for a while now, but it is less than perfect due to EMR technology.
This means that if the Galaxy Fold 3 does get S Pen support, it will be facing tough competition. However, the new foldable is not expected to break cover before Q2 2021.
