Galaxy Note 20 Might Come With Wireless DeX Mode

Although not exactly the first of its kind, Samsung DeX is arguably one of the more interesting features of Samsung's high-end smartphones and tablets, even if it hasn't ended up taking the mobile market by storm. Part of the reason for that was the requirements for additional accessories to make DeX work. There were rumors that Samsung was looking into adding support for using DeX without docks or cables and that feature might be nearing its debut, maybe even with the Galaxy Note 20 next month

Although the primary purpose has remained the same over the years, the way Samsung DeX worked has continually changed since it debuted on the Galaxy S8 in 2017. It initially required using a dock but that turned out to be too cumbersome in practice. The Galaxy Note 9 introduced using a single USB-C to HDMI (or USB-C video) cable while the Galaxy Note 10 could connect to any Windows or Mac computer and run DeX inside a window there.

All of those still required the use of cables, however, and nothing beats the convenience of simply connecting to a screen or PC wirelessly. That capability has been rumored before and Huawei even beat Samsung to the punch. XDA's Max Weinbach has now seen evidence of this hidden in the Samsung Tips app, hinting that it may just be around the corner. Since the feature has been associated with Samsung's Galaxy Note line, there is a chance it could even happen next month.

What restrictions the feature will have is still a big question mark. Samsung initially required docks like the DeX Station and the DeX Pad to provide active cooling to a phone that would be generating more heat in DeX mode. With its single-cable solution, it limited the number of apps you could open to avoid taxing the smartphone too much. Hopefully, the limits won't be worse in this upcoming use case.

That single feature might appeal to some users but it might hardly be considered a killer one. The Galaxy Note 20 and its larger Note 20 Ultra sibling are definitely interesting but also conflicting when it comes to the hardware features they may or may not have. The phablets are due to be announced on August 5, so we might still hear some final tidbits of information before that comes around.