Samsung tweaks Galaxy Note 5 internals to prevent S Pen jams

Galaxy Note 5 gets a hardware fix. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Android

Galaxy Note 5 gets a hardware fix. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Android

Samsung has quietly tweaked the internals of its Galaxy Note 5 to prevent S Pens from getting jammed inside the device when inserted upside down.

Newer logic boards have a redesigned mechanism that looks less likely to become stuck on the S Pen’s eject button.

As shown in the photo below, the more recent Note 5 logic board on the left now has a grey switch protruding from its side instead of a black one. It doesn’t stick out in the same way the old one does, so the S Pen is able to slip past it without getting stuck even when inserted upside down.

The new Galaxy Note 5 logic board (left) compared to the original. Photo: Phandroid

The new Galaxy Note 5 logic board (left) compared to the original. Photo: Phandroid

According to the Note 5 owner who sent this image to Phandroid, the new mechanism — which detects when the S Pen is removed from the handset and triggers software features like Screen Off Memo and Air Command — “works beautifully.”

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a shame Samsung didn’t use a switch like this one in the beginning, which would have saved early Note 5 adopters from discovering this problem the hard way, and prevented a whole lot of bad press. But at least it will think twice for the Galaxy Note 6.