Does the Galaxy S21 series support the S-Pen stylus?

Samsung has finally unleashed its latest Android flagships – the Galaxy S21 family. This year, Samsung has given its flagships a big design change, better cameras, faster internals, and a host of new software tricks. But the most noticeable upgrade was the arrival of a feature that has so far been limited to the Galaxy Note family, one that has been its distinguishing trait ever since the first member of the lineup was launched. We are talking about support here. 

Does the Galaxy S21 series support the S-Pen stylus?

Yes, but you gotta pay extra!

Yes. The Galaxy S21 series does offer stylus support. But there’s a catch here. Only the Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with the necessary hardware to support S-Pen input, and not the standard Galaxy S21 or the Galaxy S21+. And unlike the Galaxy Note family, there is no docking slot on the Galaxy S21 Ultra to house the S-Pen. Thankfully, Samsung is selling cases that have a dedicated slot to keep the S-Pen that you can see in the image below:

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra  with S Pen in the slot

S-Pen won’t come bundled with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Instead, Samsung will sell it separately for $39.99 in the US market. however, if you purchase the folio case for $69.99, Samsung will throw in the S-Pen as well. The company has also redesigned the stylus for its ultra flagship. It no longer has the click-based button at the top that you could press to take the stylus out of its docking slot.

On the surface, only the design appears to have changed, but the core functionality remains the same as the stylus that comes with the Galaxy Note lineup with a major exception – Bluetooth. You can’t use the air gestures with it either. Here’s a closer look at the new optional S-Pen for the Galaxy S21 Ultra:

Optional S-Pen for the Galaxy S21 Ultra
The optional S Pen for Galaxy S21 Ultra. (Image: Samsung)

S-Pen Pro with Bluetooth support is coming later this year

On the brighter side though, Samsung will launch an updated version called the S-Pen Pro in the upcoming months that will offer support for Bluetooth as well as air gestures. And oh, it will be bigger than the regular S-Pen. Also, if you have a spare S-Pen from a stylus-toting device such as the Galaxy Note 20 lying around, you can use it with the Galaxy S21 Ultra with all its tricks in tow.

S Pen vs S Pen Pro
S-Pen vs S-Pen Pro. (image: Samsung)

In addition to stylus support, the Galaxy S21 comes with a few extras such WiFi 6E support that takes advantage of the 6GHz spectrum for improved wireless connectivity, two telephoto cameras at the back (one of which relies on a periscope system to offer 10X hybrid zoom output and support for UWB (Ultra Wideband) technology as well. We’ll soon be putting the Galaxy S21 through its paces to see if it’s worth the eye-watering starting price of $1,300.

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Samsung says S Pen support will come to more device categories after Galaxy S debut

After keeping the S Pene exclusive to its Galaxy Note lineup, Samsung finally made a strategy shift this year and announced the Galaxy S21 Ultra that offers stylus support. Yes, the phone doesn’t come with a bundled stylus, neither does it have a docking station to house it, but it’s still a great start. And for buyers spending north of $1200 on the phone, S Pen support is just another great incentive. However, Samsung plans to bring the S Pen to ‘more device categories’ in the foreseeable future.

“We are committed to innovating new mobile experiences that flow seamlessly and continuously to make our consumers’ lives easier and better. We’ve made the bold decision to expand the S Pen experience to Galaxy S21 Ultra, and plan to expand the S Pen experience across additional device categories in the future,” Samsung tells SamMobile. “We remain committed to providing the best mobile experience to our consumers and will continue to actively listen and consider consumer feedback in our product innovations.”

Galaxy Z Fold 3 might get S Pen support, and will have a docking station as well

Now, this isn’t the first time that Samsung has hinted at extending the S Pen support to more devices beyond the Galaxy Note family. Samsung Electronics’ President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, TM Roh hinted via a blog post last year that stylus support will make its way to more devices in 2021, a vision that materialized with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. It is not the same stylus that comes with the Galaxy Note family, and it lacks some of its cool tricks such as Air Gestures, but you can use a Galaxy Note stylus on the device if you have one lying around.

Galaxy Z Fold 3 next in line to get S Pen support?

As for the ‘additional device categories’ part that will get stylus support in the future, the most obvious choice has to be foldable devices, especially those in the Z Fold family. And it actually makes a lot of sense. S Pen will truly realize its potential on a larger screen that is perfect for jotting down notes, drawing, annotating documents, and doing a lot more. Samsung is rumored to offer S Pen with its next foldable phone – the Galaxy Z Fold 3 – and the device might even have a docking slot for the stylus just like the Galaxy Note series phones.

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Pocketnow Daily: Galaxy S21 Ultra Certification: Here’s What It REVEALS! (video)

Latest AirPad Air, Samsung Galaxy S20 and more devices, on sale today

Let’s begin today with deals as those of you still looking for Holiday gifts, you might still be in time. The latest iPad Air which is $50 off, that leaves the 256GB of storage model for $699. If you want the entry-level iPad, that one is $30 off, leaving the 128GB of storage one for $395 but you can also find discounts on the 32GB model. We know you’re still loving the Samsung deals so, if you have a device to trade-in, you can still get the Galaxy Note 20 Series for as low as $450 or the S20 Series for as low as $415. And yes, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is still available for $1000 but you need the eligible device to be able to get it. Moving on, the LG G8X ThinQ is available for just $400 on both Amazon and B&H. And finally, the Google Pixel 4a is also on sale, meaning it starts at $349. We have more deals on iMacs, Samsung monitors, AirPods and more in the links below.

OnePlus 9 Lite rocking the Snapdragon 865 SoC to debut alongside the OnePlus 9 duo: Report

For a couple of years now, we’ve been hearing that OnePlus might be working on a “Lite” variant with watered down specs to go along with their flagships but, all we’ve gotten is the Nord Series, which is kind of its own separate lineup. Well, according to a new Android Central report, OnePlus will be debuting a OnePlus 9 Lite along with the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, making this the second major shift in their core strategy. The report claims that the 9 Lite will be powered by the Snapdragon 865, unlike the flagship variants which will most likely pack an 888 5G. Sadly, this is the only information we have at the moment as the design elements and the rest of the specs are still under wraps, however, the report does mention that it will pack 3-4 cameras in the back. We’ll see what we get as, this will most likely be a competitor to phones like the Galaxy S20 FE, at least when it comes to price… and let’s be real, Snapdragon 865 is no lite smartphone.

In ‘Privacy vs Business’ war with Apple, Facebook faces criticism from within

For the hilarious news today, let’s talk about Facebook and their latest privacy debacle as they’ve been attacking Apple on news papers cause it seems that not even Facebook trusts the impact of their own social network. In case you missed it, Facebook has put out a set of ads on big newspapers saying they’re Apple is the bad guy in blocking them from tracking your information and that they are the good guys trying to protect small business. Wait, it gets more ridiculous. Buzzfeed News just recovered multiple comments from Facebook employees that actually feel like we feel about the campaign. Just to mention a couple, one employee said: “it feels like we’re trying to justify doing a bad thing by hiding behind people with a sympathetic message”. Someone else said that people at the top might as well say something like “People are better off if they don’t know what we’re doing, if we don’t have to explain ourselves, people don’t get to opt out”. Of course we’re not trying to take things out of context but, it’s just crazy and funny how your own employees are calling out your hypocritical practices. We’ll see what eventually happens as, if Facebook doesn’t agree to Apple’s practices they will be taken out of the App Store.

Apple could give us a gaming-focused Apple TV in 2021

Let’s move on to Apple for a couple of segments, starting with one of the products that we kind of thought we were getting this year, a new Apple TV. According to a new Bloomberg report, Apple has a new Apple TV coming in 2021 with some changes. Mark Gurman claims that Apple is planning an “upgraded box” with a stronger gaming focus, with an updated remote and a new processor. Some of the changes will fix the 2015 Apple TV box issues, but Apple wants to take another big leap to keep the Apple TV competitive in the long haul. Some of the changes which were previously reported by Bloomberg include integration for the Find My app, for you to find the remote easily in case you lose it often. Other reports claim that it will be powered by the A14, allowing you to run Apple Arcade games that wouldn’t be available on the current Apple TVs. So yeah, we’re expecting it to drop some time next year, let us know if you’re excited for it in the comments.

Apple might finally start building its own car in 2024, claims bombshell Reuters report

Let’s talk about Apple again and.. Cars, yeah. For years, and I mean years, we’ve been hearing that Apple is working on a car, maybe a self-driving one but, these new rumors make it sound like this thing will actually happen. According to a new report form Reuters, Apple’s car plans are back on track and the company is actually targeting “2024 to produce a passenger vehicle that could include their own breakthrough battery technology”. Just to expand on that, this new battery design claims to be more space-efficient, offering an increase in vehicle change, and it’s also apparently “radically” cheap. Cupertino is actually experimenting with other battery technologies that companies like Tesla are exploring as well. As a fun fact, Elon Musk actually chipped in saying how their battery technology is going, and adding that he actually offered to sell Tesla to Tim Cook when they were struggling but Tim wouldn’t take the meeting. However, none of this is set in stone just yet, Reuters does mention that due to pandemic-related issues, production could be pushed until 2025 or beyond. Apple still has a long way to go until production even though they have reportedly got in touch with suppliers for different source parts. There’s also the chance that they might scrap this “passenger” vehicle again and focus on a self-driving system. So yeah, this thing has been trending a lot but, let us know if you guys are interested in an Apple Car?

Story of the day:

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will offer S Pen stylus support, confirms FCC listing

And finally for the hottest news today, yes, once again, let’s talk Galaxy S21 as it’s clearly the hottest topic as of yet. This year has been weird for Galaxy S leaks as, we were hearing that the Galaxy Note could disappear to focus on foldables and that the S Pen is coming to the S Line. Well, the Galaxy S21 Ultra just went through an FCC certification which means we’re actually very close to the launch, and it reveals some interesting things. First off, we get the official model number but, the certification mentions that “The EUT can also be used with a stylus device (S Pen) and that it also operates with the S Pen in two different inductive coupling modes of S Pen motion detection. This most likely means that you can use it as a regular stylus and of course with Samsung’s motion features. The database also reveals support for Wi-Fi 6E, as well as UWB technology. The leaks for the S21 Ultra also include the Snapdragon 888 5G or the Exynos 2100, up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. We’re also supposed to be getting 4 cameras at the back that include a 108MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra wide, a 10MP telephoto with 3x zoom and another 10MP telephoto with 10x optical zoom. With a rumored starting price at around $1250 that might actually be higher but, back to the S Pen.

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The post Pocketnow Daily: Galaxy S21 Ultra Certification: Here’s What It REVEALS! (video) appeared first on Pocketnow.

Pocketnow Daily: Samsung Galaxy S21 Leaks: S Pen CONFIRMED? (video)

Samsung Galaxy Note 20, Apple Watch Series 6 and more on sale today

As per usual, let’s begin today with deals and, you guessed it, the Samsung trade-in deals are still going so we’re still going to feature them. The Galaxy Note 20 is $550 off, meaning the regular variant for $450, or the Ultra for $750. The S20 FE now starts at $390, the regular S20 at $490, and it goes all the way up to the S20 Ultra for $890. Last but definitely not least, the Z Fold 2 is still basically half off, leaving it at $1000. So yeah, you can still grab these great deals but remember, you need an eligible device to trade in. If you want an Apple Watch, you can get the Series 6 for $49 off, leaving it at $380 for the 44mm variant. But alright, moving on to gaming, if you’re looking for a laptop, the Alienware m15 R3 is currently $277 off, leaving the 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD model for $1572, packing an RTX 2060 GPU. If you’re looking for peripherals, Razer is having another sale, leaving things like the Razer Black Widow Elite Keyboard for $85. We have more deals on other gaming peripherals, other Apple Watches and more, in the links in the description.

iOS 14.3 adds ProRAW support, taking iPhone 12 Pro’s camera prowess to the next level

Now it’s Apple update’s time, as the company announced a ton of features that really didn’t’ launch with its products until today. We know that one of the features Apple markets and relies on the most for iPhones is photography capabilities, and the new iOS update brings a major one. Cupertino just rolled out a stable release for iOS 14.3 which of course goes all the way back to the iPhone 6s. Now, if you have the iPhone 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max, you might want to pay attention as, this new update enables the Apple ProRAW mode that they announced at the event. If we’re getting technical ProRAW is a 12-bit file that relies on Apple’s processing and computational photography to give you more granular control over different aspects of the photo like color, detail and dynamic range. This translates to images that are as big as 25MB but it makes photography even more interesting on your smartphone. So, if you’re into iPhone photography go check out your software updates tab, this update also adds support for AirPods Max and brings other new features like App Clips. You also get Fitness+ in case you subscribed to Apple One, which means there’s also a major update to the Apple Watch to support it. You bet, macOS Big Sur also found a major update, and now apps like the Microsoft Office Suite support the M1 processor natively. You can learn more in the description.

Apple plans 30% production surge for 2021’s first half expecting strong iPhone demand

Let’s keep talking iPhones but move on to future releases as we hear that the company plans to have a more of a normal year in 2021 and yet plans to be aggressive about it. Every single year we hear reports about how the company might have a Super Cycle but, despite the pandemic it looks like they might be looking at one right now. According to a new report from Nikkei Asia, Apple plans to produce up to 96M iPhones for the first half of 2021 on both old and new models, marking a 30% year-over-year increase. Now, when it comes to the full year forecast, we’re looking at 230M iPhones for next year which is a 20% increase over 2019 and it’s pretty on par with their record-breaking 231.5M shipped from 2015. The report also mentions that Cupertino is preparing an aggressive production schedule for their high-end computers, including the MacBook Pro and an iMac Pro for next year. It also mentions a new Apple TV for next year which other tipsters have mentioned as well. We’ll see if that super cycle actually happens this year, with analysts like Jeff Pu forecasting 220M shipments for Apple. It seems that regardless of how bad this pandemic has been, people have actually consumed more electronics than ever.

We could get an Apple Watch with Touch ID and under-display camera

Now how about if we talk Apple Watch. I find it interesting how Apple nailed security on that watch so well, having it lock itself instantly when you remove it from your wrist, and even serve as a Touch ID replacement for your Mac, which means if someone knows your PIN, you’re screwed. Seems Apple has decided to fix that with some new patent applications. The first one is titled “Electronic device having sealed button biometric sensing system,” AKA, let’s use that side button as a fingerprint scanner like we have with the iPad Air. The second is “Electronic devices with two-stage displays” which reportedly will allow for an under display camera. Why would you ever want a camera on the most awkward position ever is the weirdest thing, but it seems Apple finds a use for it. Whatever the case may be I’m excited to get Touch ID on the Apple Watch, but remember Apple is known for excessive prototyping, so we have no idea if and when this will happen.

Samsung could give us up to four new folding smartphones next year

And since the rumors hint to Samsung getting rid of the Note line next year, we know that they plan to bank big on their foldables. Well, according to an ETNews report, Samsung will be releasing 4 different foldables in 2021. These 4 foldables will consist of two Z Fold models and two Z Flip models. All of these phones are expected to arrive with 5G capabilities, with mass production beginning some time in August, a little late but in time for when usually get the Note event. And, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Samsung plans to do this so it might actually be the company’s strategy. Other reports hint that Samsung plans to include the S Pen in the Fold 3, because they’re planning to get rid of the Note line. ETNews also reports that Samsung might even plan to release a rollable smartphone sometime late next year or in 2022. So yeah, we should be getting two new Z Fold 3’s, hopefully one with a more affordable variant if it actually plans to replace the Note, and two Z Flip 3’s, yes, 3. I’ll admit I admire Samsung’s boldness in completely banking its efforts on foldables, but I seriously wonder if consumers will react the same way for the price.

Story of the day:

Samsung officially hints at S Pen support for more devices, likely the Galaxy S21 Ultra

And finally the hottest news today have everything to do with Samsung’s upcoming releases and their plans to get rid of the Note by extending some of its features to the Galaxy S. In typical Samsung fashion, we’re getting more official details. Multiple reports this year have hinted to the S21 bringing S Pen support, again for the fact that we might not get a Note. Well, the president and head of mobile communications business hinted on a Blogpost that stylus support “will make its way to more devices than just the Note portfolio” also hinting that the Note might not die after all. To quote him, he mentions that “they’ve also been paying attention to people’s favorite aspects of the Note experience, and they are excited to add some of the most well-loved features to other devices in their line-up”. He also said that limitations are for other brands and that Samsung wants to test the rules as they know no bounds. Of course, he didn’t explicitly say that the S Pen is coming to the S21 but, a TON of reports have alluded to this ever since the leaks started. Sadly, tipsters like Ice Universe and other reliable sources claim that the S Pen will be supported, but it won’t ship with the phone and it won’t be placed inside it, like we get with the Note.
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Samsung Galaxy S21 storage, colors, and stylus support confirmed

More leaks of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S21 series have emerged. We have already seen the three devices leaked in some promo videos that show the similarities between the more affordable variants. Still, the latest rumor reveals Galaxy S21’s storage options and color variants, as well as an extra feature for the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The guys over at WinFuture.de claim that several German retailers are already revealing the storage capacity for the Galaxy S21 series and its possible color options. First, the vanilla Samsung Galaxy S21 would arrive with two storage options, which would be 128GB for the entry-level variant, and 256GB in the maxed-out version. Users would also be able to choose between four different color options, which include gray, white, pink, and purple.

The Samsung Galaxy S21+ would arrive with the same storage options as the Galaxy S21, which means 128GB and 256GB. Unfortunately, leaks suggest that it will only be available in three color options, which include black, silver, and purple.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, would feature three storage options that include 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. However, users would only get two color options to choose from, as it would only be available in black and silver. Now, what’s more interesting about this leak is that it also confirms that the Galaxy S21 Ultra will also support S Pen input. Just don’t expect the stylus to be placed inside the phone, as we see in the Samsung Galaxy Note series, as it is expected to be stored in a special Clear View and Silicone Cover case. These cases would come bundled with the S Pen, so it would be a perfect way to keep your device safe, at the same time that you would make your new phone a better productivity tool.

Source WinFuture

Via GSM Arena

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Is this the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 or the Galaxy Note 21?

We have been getting tons of Samsung leaks in the last couple of days. Most of these leaks and rumors usually mention the new Samsung Galaxy S21, with its possible launch in January. However, the latest leak is about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Said leak makes us believe that Samsung has already figured out a way to give stylus support to its next foldable device. It also shows us a new design feature that we usually find in the Samsung Galaxy Note series.

It seems that Samsung has taken one more step towards creating the ultimate multitasking mobile device. The company could’ve already decided on the design of the next Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, or that’s what we can assume after seeing the latest smartphone/tablet patent filed at the World Intellectual Property Organization, as the new foldable could finally arrive with an S Pen.

The leaks show us where Samsung is planning on placing the S Pen in the Z Fold 3, and yes, this is exactly where you would find the stylus in a Samsung Galaxy Note. Unfortunately, we can’t see the placement of the buttons or other details in the device, including the punch hole placement for the selfie camera.

However, rumors claim that we could also see an under-display selfie camera in this device. Reports also claim that Samsung would change to Active Electrostatic Solution technology for the upcoming foldable, meaning that the screen won’t require a digitizer to work, which could also mean that we may get more features in the next S Pen.

These changes will also be more expensive than the Electromagnetic Resonance technology that’s currently found in the Galaxy Note, but we may not have to worry that much about that since rumors also suggest that Samsung is planning on keeping the same price tags on its upcoming devices. This patent was filed back in April, and it got approved this week, which means that Samsung has been working on giving us an S Pen in its foldable devices for quite a while. It may finally arrive with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, which is expected to arrive sometime in the second half of 2021.

Source Lets Go Digital

Via GSM Arena

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Pocketnow Daily: Pocophone X2: TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?!(video)

On today's Pocketnow Daily, we talk about the upcoming Poco X2 with amazing specs, the succesor of the Galaxy Fold and more

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A new Samsung Galaxy Fold may launch in Q2 with S Pen and ultra-thin glass

The new Samsung Galaxy Fold may arrive sometime during the second quarter of 2020, and it could arrive with 5G connectivity and more

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Pocketnow Daily: Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could be the new Galaxy Note?!(video)

On today's Pocketnow Daily, we talk about the posibility of a new fondable Samsung Galaxy Note, the camera in the Galaxy S11 and more

The post Pocketnow Daily: Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could be the new Galaxy Note?!(video) appeared first on Pocketnow.

Pocketnow Daily: The Galaxy Note 10 Pro’s OTHER Camera! (video)

On today's Pocketnow Daily, we talk about the information some Samsung Galaxy Note 10 dummies have revealed, new iPhone features and more

The post Pocketnow Daily: The Galaxy Note 10 Pro’s OTHER Camera! (video) appeared first on Pocketnow.

Does the Galaxy Note 10 have a “Spy Pen?” | #PNWeekly 344

Also on our show, revisiting the Razer Phone 2, cost promises for the Sprint/T-Mobile merger, terabyte phone debates, new emoji and more!

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