Samsung made some very powerful smartphones last year, not only did they improve the looks and build quality of their flagship Galaxy S6 series, but their other handsets took some inspiration from these new features. The company’s powerhouse, the Galaxy Note 5, continued to integrate some of the most powerful specs available like the Exynos 7420 and 4 GB of RAM. Yet, it got criticized by some users who appreciated features such as a removable battery and the ability to expand its memory, which are nowhere to be found on this phablet. One of the essential features of the Galaxy Note series is the included stylus, which the company calls S Pen, and while it has gotten better over time and it is used for much more than just drawing, a recently found patent indicates that the S Pen could get a whole new use.
Patently Mobile reported that a patent from Samsung found at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office makes the S Pen work as a stylus and a stand for the smartphone that includes it. The design of the new S Pen includes a hinge in the middle so users can pull the stylus halfway through from its housing within the smartphone and bend it so the phone can stand for itself in any surface. This makes it a great feature for various scenarios like showing slideshows or presentations as well as watching videos with a small group of people or even video calling. The patent also shows a locking mechanism that recognizes when the S Pen is being used in its bent position so that it gets sturdy. When users put the S Pen into a straightened position, it gets unlocked so it can be removed or inserted back into its housing.
Of course, there are some cases that also double as a stand, but this solution wouldn’t require additional hardware and the design of the phone’s back would still look smooth and sleek. The only issue is that the S Pen wouldn’t be usable when it is in its stand position. The patent was granted in Q3 2015, but it might take a while before we see it materializing and just like any other patent, there’s no guarantee that it will be ever used.