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.
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.
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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