The Galaxy Note family, is the flagship of Samsung, followed by the Galaxy S are the standard of the mobile revolution that presents us year after year. Likewise, the famous S Pen has become a characteristic symbol of the line, since there is no Note without an S Pen. Likewise, this little companion of the mobile has also had a constant evolution, to reach the tenth installment.
With the Galaxy Note 20, not only 10 phones from the same line are met, but also ten evolutions of the S Pen. That is why we will take a short trip in time to get to know the evolution of this unique companion in depth.
Galaxy note
The 2011 introduction of the Galaxy Note and the S Pen launched a new category of mobile device: the phablet. Combining the features of a smartphone and a tablet, the Galaxy Note made an impact around the world with its revolutionary design and Notepad-like functionality.
The S Pen, which fitted the initial version, was capable of serving as a pen, pencil, brush, and highlighter. It also introduced what would be the first of many shortcuts designed to help users get things done faster. For example, a double tap on the screen while pressing the S Pen button would automatically open the S Memo app.
Galaxy Note 2
Introduced the following year, the Galaxy Note2 featured a redesigned S Pen, which was flattened on one side to offer a much more ergonomic grip. The most notable improvement from the first to the second model was in pressure sensitivity. While the previous version supported up to 256 levels of sensitivity, the new model supported up to 1,024 – or four times that. The enhancement allowed users to enjoy a more nuanced and natural typing experience. A brush menu and eyedropper tool were also added, making it easier to lift colors within the Note (from an image, for example).
Galaxy Note 3
Improvements to the Galaxy Note3’s S Pen went beyond refining the handwriting experience and dramatically improved the productivity features of the stylus. The new Air Command menu allowed users to instantly access important functions from the S Pen itself or by clicking its button. The addition of this handy feature made it easy to make calls, send emails and messages, add doodles and notes to captured images, and much more.
Galaxy Note 4
Samsung began by vastly improving the accuracy of the S Pen, doubling its pressure sensitivity from 1,024 levels to 2,048. A new feature has also been added: Smart select, so users can easily share a variety of content. With Smart select, users could use their S Pen to instantly select, share and save content on their screen – regardless of the application and then share it with others via email or message.
Galaxy Note 5
The ability to write notes directly on the smartphone screen – notes that would be instantly saved once the user placed the S Pen back on the device – added a new level of convenience to the note-taking experience, and to make it even better. Plus that convenience, Samsung simplified how the S Pen was removed. Whereas earlier S Pens required manual removal through the notch at the end, the Note5’s S Pen was ejected with light pressure.
Galaxy Note 8
Introduced with the Galaxy Note8, Live Messages are a perfect example of meaningful communication. This feature allows users to use the S Pen to draw their own funny, animated GIFs that can be instantly shared with friends or on their social media. Text, drawings, and GIFs created with live messages, offering a wide range of brushes and pens for users to choose from, can be saved to Gallery and used again whenever the user wants.
Galaxy Note 9
The incorporation of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology meant that the Note9’s S Pen could be used to, for example, take a group photo from afar using the S Pen button as a shutter-release button and control remote slides in presentations. Also, its charging would start automatically once it was put back on the device and it offered up to 30 minutes of use (or around 200 clicks) once fully charged.
Galaxy Note 10
The introduction of S Pen aerial actions opened the door for users to remotely control their device using simple gestures. Just by pressing the button on the S Pen, the user could use these intuitive actions to switch between cameras and shooting modes, zoom in or out of a shot, and perform a variety of other convenient functions, all with customizable gestures. The smartphone also introduced enhancements designed to help users maximize productivity, including a feature that allows handwriting to be instantly converted to text and exported through a variety of formats.
Galaxy Note 20
A set of enhancements, including AI technology that enables more accurate coordinate prediction, as well as an improved gyro sensor and accelerometer, have been combined to support the most realistic drawing and writing experiences possible. Those experiences are amplified by the greatly reduced latency of the new S Pen. The ultra latency of the Galaxy Note20 model has been reduced by almost 80% compared to the Note10, and such responsiveness allows users to enjoy a more realistic typing experience – closer to reality.