Although Samsung hasn't yet released its One UI 6 beta program, Google is testing Android 14 with the help of users willing to run the pre-release firmware on their devices. Google released the third Android 14 beta firmware last week. And surprise, surprise! The latest update contains details about stylus improvements.
Android OS without One UI never offered great stylus support. Granted, you could use a capacitive stylus with just about any touchscreen, but that doesn't mean Android has powerful built-in stylus features. However, Android 14 may change how the OS handles this kind of accessory.
@MishaalRahman on Twitter recently shared some interesting discoveries he made in Android 14 Beta 3. The OS now contains key code constants concerning the function of stylus buttons.
Android 14 is getting down with styluses
The code, as seen in the screenshots above, mentions the primary, secondary, tertiary, and tail (clicker) buttons of a stylus. The description of the tail button seems particularly interesting, as the key code in the Beta 3 firmware specifies that “The use of this button does not usually correspond to the function of an eraser.”
It is true that, historically, the clicker button on Samsung's S Pens didn't have any practical purposes within the software. It's there just to secure the S Pen in its holster and offer extra grip when users try to unholster the S Pen.
Now, it's hard to tell by this code whether or not Android 14 will add functionality to stylus clicker buttons, but it sounds like it might. Furthermore, S Pens usually come with just one multi-purpose side button. But these Android 14 Beta 3 key codes talk about secondary and even tertiary buttons.
All this could mean that Google is preparing to add better stylus support to the Android platform. And it might do so at a more advanced level than Samsung did through One UI. Which, ultimately, might help the Korean tech giant improve its own S Pen experience. If Google elevates this accessory to a new height, Samsung will probably want to keep up and might release more advanced S Pens in the future.
