SPen discovery feature on Tab S3

[stoitchog]

So far devices that use the SPen can store the pen inside. When the pen is in the device the digitizer is turned off so it doesn't drain the battery.

Does anybody know how is this going to work with the S3?

I think the TabProS has a pen as an accessory. Does anyone have an experience with it? Does it use the same EMR technology?

 

[SpookDroid]

Probably not... the way this looks is that it's meant to be in your shirt pocket or your carrying case, so it wouldn't make sense.

 

[afblangley]

I've never owned a Note series phone, but I've owned two tablets, a Galaxy Note 8 and a Tab A with S Pen. I'm not familiar with EMR technology, but I don't remember them being drained by removing the stylus.

 

[stoitchog]

I've never owned a Note series phone, but I've owned two tablets, a Galaxy Note 8 and a Tab A with S Pen. I'm not familiar with EMR technology, but I don't remember them being drained by removing the stylus.

I hope this is not going to be a problem but if you look in the SPen settings there is an option to turn off the pen discovery when the pen is inside the device. It is called "SPen power saver" which might be a clue for some problem.

Other devices use active pens/pencils that have a battery inside and use Bluetooth or other means to communicate to the device that the user wants to use the pen. The user must do something like click a button or press on the screen and just then the tablet turns on the more power hungry circuitry.
The SPen is powered by the screen through electromagnetic induction and obviosly that must be on all the time in order the pen to work.

I am just hoping that we don't have to go in some settings and enable/disable some option every time we want to use the pen. I also wished Samsung decided to put a battery in the pen this time, but apparently this is not the case.

Btw having a battery in the pen is not that bad thing. The battery on the surface pen actually last very long.