Samsung tipped to use carbon fibre in Galaxy Z Fold 8, could bring back S-Pen support

India Today

6 days ago

Samsung seems to be reconsidering some of the materials it uses for its upcoming foldable phones — particularly the Galaxy Z Fold 8, expected to launch next year. According to a report from TheElec, the company is currently testing both titanium and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) for the phone's internal backplate. That may sound like a small technical change, but it could have a big impact on durability, thickness, and even the return of the much-requested S Pen support. And this time, Samsung's decision might not just be about design — it could come down to global material supply issues, especially around titanium.advertisementIn recent years, Samsung has used different materials for its Galaxy Z Fold lineup, depending on the model and whether the phone included S Pen support. Devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 3 to Z Fold 6 used CFRP, mainly because of the need to accommodate the digitiser — a component that allows for S Pen input. On the other hand, the newer Galaxy Z Fold 7, which didn't support the S Pen, used titanium for its backplate. Titanium is light, strong, and helps reduce overall thickness. But with trade tensions between the US and China potentially affecting the titanium supply chain, Samsung is now keeping its options open.If CFRP does make a comeback in the Galaxy Z Fold 8, that could be a sign that Samsung is planning to reintroduce S Pen support. There's already talk that Samsung is developing a thinner digitiser for the Fold series, which could allow for S Pen compatibility without adding too much thickness. And given how much Galaxy Note and S Ultra users still love their stylus, that could be a welcome return — especially if Samsung finds a way to make the Fold more practical for productivity users.
Interestingly, Samsung is also said to be exploring new stylus input tech. While the Fold series previously relied on EMR (Electro Magnetic Resonance) for S Pen support, there's now the possibility of switching to AES (Active Electrostatic Solution) — the same tech used by Apple's Pencil. That change could allow for S Pen-like functionality without a built-in digitiser, possibly helping Samsung keep the phone slim while still offering stylus input.Samsung Display is also looking at alternate backplate materials, including glass. Glass is lighter and cheaper, but it remains to be seen whether it can provide the kind of structural support needed in a foldable device.- Ends