Samsung’s S Pen has been part of the company’s portfolio since it was introduced with the original Galaxy Note in 2011. Samsung’s flagship Galaxy phone range and foldables ship with an S Pen in the box. The South Korean brand is now said to be working on a new technology to improve the S Pen experience. Samsung Display is reportedly joining hands with South Korean touch chip company HiDeep to develop stylus technology that does not require a digitiser or battery.

As per a report by the Korean publication The Elec, Samsung Display and HiDeep are collaborating to develop a technology to recognise a stylus without a digitiser and battery. They are reportedly planning to introduce this technology to Chinese smartphone manufacturers.

HiDeep to Create a Stylus Compatible With Different Devices

The report states that Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra models, Galaxy Z Fold smartphones and Galaxy Tab series tablets feature digitiser to support the S Pen stylus, which does not require a battery or an electric field. Apple Pencil, in contrast, includes a battery and doesn’t rely on a digitiser. It uses a thin rectangular component added to the boards of devices to recognise the stylus’ contact on the screen.

Currently, stylus by Apple and Samsung are not compatible with each others’ devices, but HiDeep is reportedly working to bring a stylus that has compatibility across models from different vendors.

HiDeep, in August, reportedly said that it is working with global customers to develop a stylus model. The company is likely to offer an initial supply of the model to Chinese smartphone vendors as they are aggressive in adopting new technologies compared to Samsung or Apple. Removing digitiser is expected to make the foldables and standard smartphones slimmer.

Further, the report notes that Apple is working to replace the Plus variant from the iPhone 17 lineup by replacing it with an iPhone 17 Air model. Samsung reportedly removed the digitiser from the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition in select regions a few months ago with a starting price tag of KRW 2,789,600 (roughly Rs. 1,70,000). It is thinner and lighter than the standard Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Apple will delve into the smart home market as it looks for new growth opportunities next year, according to a report. As part of its efforts, the Cupertino-based technology giant is said to be developing a smart home doorbell that will have FaceID support, enabling users to scan their face to gain entry, much like the iPhone. For enhanced functionality of the purported device, Apple may turn to other third-party smart lock makers or even tie up with a single specific company.

Apple Smart Doorbell

In the latest edition of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman detailed Apple’s smart home efforts. The iPhone maker is reported to be working on a smart home doorbell system that will have advanced facial recognition, which wirelessly connects to a deadbolt lock.

Apple already offers several third-party smart home locks on its online store but this is said to be its first-ever proprietary offering. It is speculated to work on the same HomeKit protocol and may support other third-party locks. With this move, the company may surface as a competitor in a space dominated by the likes of Amazon’s Ring and Google Nest.

The product is expected to use Apple’s first-ever proprietary wireless networking chipset dubbed Proxima to protect consumer data. The smart home doorbell system is not expected to hit the market at least until the end of next year. However, there may be a possibility that Apple develops the technology but sells it through a third-party brand. If that is the case, Logitech or Belkin are to be the likely partners, as per Gurman.

Other Smart Home Products

The newsletter also details other endeavours by the iPhone maker in the smart home space. It is said to be developing a smart hub powered by artificial intelligence (AI) which would feature a 6-inch screen, FaceTime support, and a new operating system. Apple is also reported to be roll out upgrades for Apple TV and HomePod mini devices next year — both having the new wireless networking chip.

The company could also delve into the home security space with a purported in-home security camera that would work in tandem with its purported smart hub. Its development is already reported to be underway and may offer competition to the likes of Amazon, Blink, Google, and Logitech.

JioTag Go was launched in India on Wednesday. It is claimed to be India’s first Android tracker with support for Google’s Find My Device network. Users can locate the tracker with the Google Find My Device app, which uses the network of all Android phones worldwide. The Bluetooth-enabled tracker is claimed to offer a battery life of up to a year. Earlier this year in July, Reliance launched the JioTag Air, which is compatible with Apple’s Find My network. 

JioTag Go Price in India, Availability

JioTag Go price is set in India at Rs. 1,499. It is available for purchase in the country via Amazon, JioMart e-store, as well as Reliance Digital and My Jio stores. The tracker is offered in black, orange, white, and yellow colour options.

JioTag Go Features

The JioTag Go is a Bluetooth tracker which is compatible with Google’s Find My Device feature. The tracker connects with the Find My Device application on Android smartphones, which users can access through the Play Store. People can use this to track their belongings worldwide, the company said. 

It can be attached to keys, purses, luggage, gadgets, bikes, and more and then be used to locate the items if lost. When within Bluetooth range, users can tap the ‘Play Sound’ option on the Find My Device app, and the concerned JioTag Go will make a beeping noise, which should easily help locate the lost item.

Outside the Bluetooth range, the last location of the tracker can be detected by Google’s Find My Device network. On the app, users can follow the map that appears with the ‘Get Directions’ option, to this location. Once in range, the JioTag Go will automatically connect to the user’s phone and they can use the ‘Play Sound’ feature to find the tracker.

The latest tracker from Reliance Jio is compatible with smartphones running Android 9 and above. It does not connect to iPhones. Notably, the JioTag Air is compatible with iPhone models running iOS 14 or later, as well as Android smartphones on Android 9 and later.

JioTag Go does not require a SIM card to function. It supports Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and is backed by a CR2032 battery, one of which is said to last up to a year. The Amazon listing reveals that the tracker measures ‎38.2 x 38.2 x 7.2mm in size and weighs 9g.