Best daily deals

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.

Future Samsung S Pen could create digital signatures and include a microphone

According to a recent report, Samsung is "currently working on a more sophisticated digital signature solution with several partners."
By
August 28, 2017

Samsung‘s smartphones have been at the forefront of many mobile security and payment innovations, including iris scanning technology, fingerprint authentication, its Knox security software — Samsung even has its own mobile payments system with Samsung Pay.

Thanks to a report from Korean news site The Investor earlier today, we might have an idea of what Samsung’s next venture in this sphere will be. Samsung’s chief of S-Pen development Chae Won-sik discussed the potential the S Pen had for digital signatures following the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 last week.

“When combined with Samsung’s authentication solutions such as Samsung Pay, Knox and iris and fingerprint recognition, S-Pen’s digital signature will create new demands in the B2B market,” Chae said.

Chae also stated that Samsung was “currently working on a more sophisticated digital signature solution with several partners,” and confirmed that studies relating to the possibility of a stylus equipped with a microphone were “underway.”

Samsung’s digital signature developments appear to be an extension of the Galaxy Note 5‘s “paperless signing capabilities” that the company discussed in early 2016 — though how the new tech would differ from what was previously outlined isn’t exactly clear. It was suggested that security would be a greater focus on the new S Pen functionality, but it should still cut out the need to physically print and return signed documents.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 vs Galaxy Note Fan Edition quick look
Features
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition

The integration of digital signatures could be a real bonus for Samsung’s Galaxy Note range as it’s one of the only major premium smartphone lines to make use of a stylus; taking full advantage of the S Pen, providing meaningful ways to use it, is key to ensuring that consumers view it as a purposeful accessory, not just a gimmick.

In The Investor‘s report, it was also made clear that Wacom, Samsung’s Japanese partner that helps develop the S Pen, would only be focusing on the stylus’ usage for Samsung’s Galaxy Note phones — it appears there are no plans to adapt the stylus to other Samsung devices.