While we all patiently wait for our Samsung Galaxy S22 units to ship — they're coming February 25 — a new rumor out of South Korea paints an interesting picture for Samsung's next big phone release this year. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 could see a pretty big upgrade.
This rumor, from reputable South Korean publication The Elec (via SamMobile), claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 could get its own built-in S Pen à la the Galaxy Note. It would match what we've seen so far with the Galaxy S22 Ultra, where the S Pen has a silo in the phone itself.
Contrast this with the S Pen implementation last year, where the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 3 both offered support for the stylus, which Samsung sold as an optional accessory. You had to figure out how to store the S Pen with last year's phones, and a bulky case was usually the best option.
As you might've guessed, a built-in S Pen would significantly improve the Galaxy Z Fold 4's productivity potential. While it was cool to use the stylus with the Fold 3, Samsung's foldable phone remains a large device. The inability to store the S Pen greatly hampered the experience, especially when you were out and about.
Rumors of a Galaxy Z Fold 4 that ships with an S Pen aren't so far-fetched, especially with the Galaxy S22 Ultra setting the standard. That phone is basically the return of the Galaxy Note line in all but name, so perhaps in Samsung's quest to appease Note fans, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will also get its own built-in S Pen. We certainly wouldn't complain.
We expect that Samsung will announce the Galaxy Z Fold 4 at an Unpacked event in August like it did last year. We're also certain to see a Galaxy Z Flip 4, too, since the Galaxy Z Flip 3 proved to be a very popular foldable (likely owing to its $999 starting price).
At this moment, however, we don't have a lot of info about Samsung's best foldable phones, but if we had to guess, the continued drive for durability and better battery life will be major highlights. Both the latest Galaxy Z phones could also stand to see serious improvements in the battery life department. Don't expect any major design overhauls with the upcoming phones, though it would be nice if Samsung adopted a more square form factor for the Galaxy Z Fold's phone mode. The current folded form is too tall and narrow for our liking.
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Jordan Palmer
Phones Editor
Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over six years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Outside of work, you can find him poring over open-source software and his studies.
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