The Galaxy Z Fold7, unveiled at Samsung’s highly anticipated Unpacked event, attracted attention for its distinct feel the moment you hold it in your hand. However, this thinness had a downside: the S Pen. Unfortunately, Samsung didn’t include the beloved stylus feature in the new model.

Will the S Pen return?

So why did Samsung ditch such an iconic feature? The answer lies in direct user feedback and the changing dynamics of the market. Kang Min-seok, head of Samsung’s Mobile Experience (MX) business unit, summarized the situation clearly in an interview with ETNews. Kang emphasizes that the decision is a trade-off—having to give up something to gain more of something else.

Kang stated, “While developing the Fold 7, we saw that consumers overwhelmingly wanted a thinner and lighter product. This became our top priority. Think of the removal of the S Pen as a trade-off, where choosing one means giving up the other. Our goal was to ensure a foldable device is as comfortable and portable as a smartphone for everyday use.”

Kang Min-seok’s statements also offer a glimmer of hope for S Pen fans. The executive stated that this move doesn’t signal the end of S Pen technology, but rather a break for a more advanced solution.

Kang continued, “We continue to actively research and develop thinner and more innovative technologies that will offer S Pen support without compromising the device’s thinness. When the level of excellence reaches our desired level and consumer demand re-intensifies in this direction, we will definitely re-evaluate S Pen support.”

This statement suggests that Samsung engineers are working behind the scenes on a next-generation digitizer technology, perhaps one that could be integrated directly into the display panel, take up less space, or operate on a completely different principle. A future Galaxy Z Fold could be an engineering marvel, combining both the thinness of today’s device with the power of the S Pen.