According to the Korean portal The Elec, Samsung Display and HiDeep are working together on a new type of stylus that combines the advantages of the original S Pen and Apple Pencil. The source told how the next-generation accessory will differ from its predecessor.
Samsung Display is collaborating with South Korean touch chip company HiDeep to develop stylus technology that does not require a digitizer or battery, according to a report by TheElec. The two companies plan to introduce this technology to Chinese smartphone manufacturers.
Currently, Samsung uses digitizers in its Galaxy S Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold smartphones, and Galaxy Tab tablets to support S Pen stylus, which does not require batteries. In contrast, Apple’s Pencil uses a battery but does not rely on a digitizer, a thin rectangular component that detects stylus input on the screen.
The report also noted that HiDeep aims to create a stylus compatible with devices from different brands, including Apple and Samsung.
Samsung S Pen works thanks to an additional touch layer in the smartphone screen. Apple styluses do not need it, but they turn off when the battery is discharged. According to the insider, Samsung’s novelty will function both without a battery and without an additional layer of the display module. There are already such styluses on sale, but they simply replace the finger in terms of the mechanism of operation. Probably, the company intends to develop a more advanced technology.
Removing an extra layer in the screen will make the display (and therefore the smartphone) thinner. It is also known that HiDeep intends to create a stylus compatible with devices of different brands, including Apple and Samsung. Specifications estimated release date and price of the accessory are still unknown.
In August, HiDeep announced its collaboration with major global customers to develop a new stylus model, expecting adoption by a Chinese smartphone maker to generate new revenue. Chinese manufacturers are working to make devices slimmer, particularly foldables, with the removal of the digitizer being a key part of this effort.
Samsung Display, already a supplier of OLED panels to these companies, sees potential for future collaborations. The report also noted that Apple plans to replace the iPhone 17 Plus with the iPhone 17 Air, while Samsung removed the digitizer from the Galaxy Z Fold SE, which no longer supports the S Pen.
Last year, HiDeep was selected by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to lead a project developing a system-on-chip (SoC) for touch and stylus technology that does not rely on a battery, sensor, or protocol. More details are expected as the project progresses.
