If you're hot on the pulse of the phone industry right now, you'll know that foldable phones are all the rage. These devices defy their physical size by opening out to offer a larger display.
If you're at all interested in that world, you'll likely be aware of a duo of Samsung phones. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 remains one of the best book-style folding devices on the market, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the strongest flip phones.
Now, news has emerged about a big upgrade for the next generation of the Z Fold series – and it's one which has been requested for a while. That would see the stylus for the device housed within its chassis, marking the first time that has happened for the series.
The leak comes courtesy of a Lithuanian site called Studimo. They source a patent filed by Samsung with the US Patent Office, which showcases a few different design ideas for the attachment of the stylus.
There's a lot of interesting stuff in there. First things first, there's the method of housing the stylus within the device. One option shows the pen attaching to the rear of the device. That's similar to how the case works currently, but without the need for additional accessories.
The other method is far more interesting, though. That shows off an asymmetrical design, with a cut out in the chassis itself where the stylus would sit. That would be a significant design change, both for Samsung and for the industry at large.
That's not all, either. The patent shows off the pen working seamlessly with the device, to replace the buttons which would traditionally be found on the side panel. For example, diagrams show buttons on the stylus working to control the volume of the handset. Another shows a touch sensitive slider being used to scroll on the screen – similar to the ZenTouch control on the Asus Zenfone 10.
It's a really interesting concept. While it would certainly turn some heads, it's not entirely implausible. With the right implementation, I actually think it could prove to be a really popular design, adding some well needed innovation into the space.
Will we see it on the next generation of the devices, then? It certainly seems possible. It's early enough to be implemented on the handset, though it's also too early for any rumours to be properly set in stone. For now, then, we'll just have to wait and see what comes.
