Samsung patent reveals next-gen S Pen with camera, optical zoom features

Also, it is not clear if the Galaxy Note that will be using this stylus will be ditching the selfie camera or not.

Samsung's Galaxy Note is one of the powerful series in the flagship smartphone line-up, and the S Pen stylus being at the heart of it. The S Pen will have a small image sensor and it could come with or without a battery. Optical zoom employs an array of lenses, and since a stylus would provide more space to fit such a module, it is better suited for an external device rather than a smartphone that does not provide enough space and will have to increase its thickness for accommodating the optical zoom hardware.

The S Pen is Samsung's productivity tool that's used on smartphones, tablets and even notebooks. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Samsung's patent which could ensure that the S Pen also functions as a camera with a superior optical zoom system, reports PatentlyMobile. According to a newly granted patent, the company may add a camera with an optical zoom into the pen. With a literal selfie stick, there would be no need for the camera and, therefore, no need for any notch or punch hole cutout.

The Note 9's S Pen also lets users control presentation slides, media playback, help with translation of text in addition to the regular tasks of helping users take notes.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 delivered a significantly upgraded S-Pen, using Bluetooth to enable a variety of features.

The patent document features several design variations but it is quite certain this is intended for the Galaxy Note smartphone based on figure 4B. Honestly though, that sounds like kind of a faff - busting out the S-Pen every time you want to practice your pout. Additionally, the pen would offer more versatility when taking photos, letting users get into positions that would be awkward if holding a phone.