Galaxy Note 5 Fatal Design Flaw: Don't Insert S Pen Backwards
It seems that Samsung has given users one more reason to be wary of the Galaxy Note 5, aside from a lack of a microSD card slot and a removable battery. In its desire to bring a new, premium, unibody design to the phablet, Samsung had to radically change the design and mechanism of the S Pen. And in doing so, it might have, inadvertently or knowingly, introduced a design flaw that could easily leave owners with a broken smartphone by simply by inserting the S Pen the wrong way.
Of course, common sense would dictate that you don't put in things in ways they shouldn't be, but, let's face it, accidents do happen. But when the design of a product makes it all too easy to allow or even encourage such accidents, then we have a big problem.
Unlike the previous Galaxy Note, the Galaxy Note 5's S Pen utilizes a click and spring mechanism to eject the S Pen. Sounds easy enough and might even be habit-forming. But also unlike older models, Samsung has made it actually possible to insert the S Pen in the opposite direction, with the "clicker" end going in first. That was nearly impossible before the Galaxy Note 5 and it is puzzling why Samsung decided to change that innate safety mechanism.
Two things can happen when you do insert the S Pen improperly. If you're lucky enough to get the stylus out, it is possible that the smartphone's S Pen detection and spring mechanism might still be broken. Worst case scenario, the clicker gets stuck inside and you won't be able to take out the S Pen. Either way, you've pretty much ended up with a damaged device.
Considering how easy it is to do the above, it's disappointing, if not downright infuriating, that Samsung's design process would have allowed just a egregious flaw. It's not that people will willingly insert the S Pen in the opposite direction, but those who don't know, especially kids, might unintentionally do. Given this is a core part of the smartphone's design, it might be impossible for Samsung to fix it without putting out a "v2" of the Galaxy Note 5.
VIA: Android Police