Galaxy Z Fold 5 with a built-in S Pen had a shot but lost to slim and sexy
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Today was an exciting day. We had the opportunity to visit the Samsung R&D center in Seoul, Korea – a hub of creativity where Samsung's designers are busy making the company's next and future top products. They told us they're already working on the Galaxy S25, as a matter of fact. I jokingly asked if I could see it. I could not.
Anyway, during the tour we were walked through the design story of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. A multitude of mockups showing design iterations were on display, giving us a glimpse of the shapes, color options, and finishes that were considered for Samsung's latest foldables, yet didn't quite make the cut.
One particular dummy unit caught my attention – a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 with a built-in S Pen slot.
To be clear, what was on display was a not a functioning phone. It was just a plastic dummy device – a physical, conceptual representation of what a Galaxy Z Fold 5 with an S Pen might have looked like. The S Pen appeared very similar (if not identical) in size to the one found on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, though I didn't have one on hand to compare.
While it would have been awesome to have an S Pen and a slot for it on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 – a feature our readers have expressed interest in many times – Samsung chose to prioritize design over functionality. We were told that having the S Pen built in would have made the phone thicker. Still, it's cool knowing that Samsung at least considered the possibility.
Anyway, during the tour we were walked through the design story of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. A multitude of mockups showing design iterations were on display, giving us a glimpse of the shapes, color options, and finishes that were considered for Samsung's latest foldables, yet didn't quite make the cut.
One particular dummy unit caught my attention – a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 with a built-in S Pen slot.
Images of a Galaxy Z Fold 5 dummy unit with S Pen Slot. Image credit – PhoneArena
To be clear, what was on display was a not a functioning phone. It was just a plastic dummy device – a physical, conceptual representation of what a Galaxy Z Fold 5 with an S Pen might have looked like. The S Pen appeared very similar (if not identical) in size to the one found on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, though I didn't have one on hand to compare.
While it would have been awesome to have an S Pen and a slot for it on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 – a feature our readers have expressed interest in many times – Samsung chose to prioritize design over functionality. We were told that having the S Pen built in would have made the phone thicker. Still, it's cool knowing that Samsung at least considered the possibility.
With the Galaxy Z Fold 5, we chose to prioritize a design that's as thin and light as possible based on our user feedback. The new S Pen Fold Edition is 41% and makes real-time annotating and ideation easy while being able to fit more comfortably in the pocket. The Slim S Pen Case is nearly the same thickness as a regular case for the Fold and avalible in a variety of styles and colours so users can carry their S Pens in style - Tae-Joong Kim
We have no idea if a future Galaxy Z Fold phone would have its built-in S Pen, and Samsung can't say either. While this isn't the kind of news tech geeks like to hear, it makes sense why Samsung chose to make the Z Fold 5 thinner instead of adding an S Pen. The phone is already quite thick when folded, and thickness is one thing the majority of potential buyers may be bothered by. An S Pen, on the other hand, still seems to be of interest to a minority of consumers. To clarify, I confirmed with Samsung that the dummy unit in the photos is not an exact representation of how thick a functional Z Fold 5 with an S Pen would have been.
On the brighter side of things, there is a brand new Slim S Pen Case which you can check in our selection of best Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases. It is thinner than the model Samsung made for the Z Fold 4 and features an S Pen holder on the back for easy access when inspiration strikes.
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