Samsung is reportedly looking to change how the Galaxy Z Fold 7 works with the S Pen to achieve a thinner device.
The report from ETNews suggests Samsung will move to using the same tech as the Apple Pencil.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold was the first folding phone available to buy, but these days there is a lot more competition in the field. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 remains one of the best folding phones out there, but options from the likes of Honor and OnePlus are hot on its heels and in some cases, slimmer or more advanced.
The Honor Magic V3 currently holds the crown as the slimmest folding phone at just 9.2mm, and while Samsung did introduce the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, which was thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 6's 12.1mm, it was still thicker than the Honor.
But that could change.
How will Samsung change things up?
A report from ETNews (via 9to5Google) has suggested the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be made slimmer by changing the way it works with the S Pen.
It claims that Samsung might switch from using an electromagnetic resonance (EMR) digitiser under the display to using active electrostatic (AES) tech. Both use electricity for precise input, but EMR requires the device to have another layer within the display in order to support the stylus input, which results in a thicker device.
AES, meanwhile, puts the electricity into the stylus itself, like Apple does with its Apple Pencil and the iPad, which means the extra display layer isn't required.
Currently, the S Pen compatible with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 doesn't need to be charged, but if Samsung changes up the technology in the next folding phone, it would. That's just like the Apple Pencil, which needs to be charged to use with iPad.
How Samsung will achieve that remains to be seen, but the change in tech would at least shave a little off the thickness of the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and retain the S Pen support.
