X
Business

Samsung launches S Pen SDK for Galaxy Note 9

The move expands the third party Galaxy Note 9 developer possibilities for the Bluetooth Low Energy enabled S Pen.
Written by Larry Dignan, Contributor


Samsung launched its S Pen software developer kit for the Galaxy Note 9 in a bid to get third party software providers to buy into the stylus and enterprise possibilities.

The company tipped its plans for the S Pen SDK when it launched the Note9. As a refresher the S Pen for the Galaxy Note 9 uses Bluetooth Low-Energy so the stylus can be used as a remote control for presentations and operating the camera.

For Samsung's Galaxy Note 9, the S Pen game plan revolves around making the stylus a more natural and meaningful to interact with apps and the smartphone. Samsung's S Pen also has an opportunity given that Apple didn't add Apple Pencil support to its latest line of iPhones--XS, XS Max and XR.

Also: iPhone XS Max review: The iPhone's future is big and bright | iPhone XS Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9: We compare the big phones | CNET Note 9 review and where to buy vs. iPhone XS Max and where to buy

The SDK documentation highlights how the S Pen's remote control functions can work and be implemented. Samsung noted that the SDK can add S Pen functionality to "as many app features as you want."

According to Samsung, the framework is that S Pen's BLE transmits to the S Pen Framework that'll produce an event for an application. BLE events are not sent directly to the app, but are converted to events by the S Pen Framework.

Here's a look at how the framework works and all the documentation for developers.

s-pen-remote-events-to-apps.png

Previous and related coverage:

Want a new iPhone or Android smartphone? Here's how to sell or trade

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 9 was just announced and we expect three new iPhones and two Google Pixel phones to launch soon. Now is the time to consider selling your current one before market prices drop or plan to participate in a trade-in program.

10 best smartphones of 2018

he major smartphone launch season is upon us and one of the first out of the gates is the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, immediately taking over the top spot in our list of best smartphones.

Best Wearable Tech for 2018 CNET

Our editors hand-picked these products based on our tests and reviews. If you use our links to buy, we may get a commission.

The best tablets for 2018: Our top picks TechRepublic

Tablet sales may be declining, but there are still plenty of viable use cases and many models to choose from. Here's our pick of the best.

Related stories:

Editorial standards