Earlier this week, we learned the possible dire consequences a user might have to face after inserting the S Pen stylus the wrong way into the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Samsung has now responded to what is being referred to a "critical design flaw" in its flagship phablet, saying it has warned users already in the user manual bundled with the handset.
To recall, a recent report tipped that if the S Pen is inserted backwards, it could get stuck inside the device, and is likely to break the internal stylus detection mechanism when it is pulled out. The odds of users mistakenly insert the stylus with wrong way is high because of the near symmetry of the S Pen on both ends - and since there is negligible resistance to the stylus being inserted incorrectly.
So, looking at Samsung's response, it is unlikely the company will recall the Galaxy Note 5 handsets to address the issue, or even roll out an improved S Pen design. Samsung urges users to read the instructions it has mentioned in the user guide. The company said that reading the user manual will help users avoid such disastrous incidents.
"We highly recommend our Galaxy Note 5 users follow the instructions in the user guide to ensure they do not experience such an unexpected scenario caused by reinserting the S Pen in the other way around," it told The Verge in a statement.
It's rather sad to see that the company seemingly failed to thoroughly test the stylus and the way the device holds it. The existence of such a flaw in the stylus, arguably the biggest selling point of the Note 5, could be a big downer to many users, many of whom are already shying away from the handset due to the lack of a microSD card slot and a removable battery.
Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.