New ‘DeX Pad’ For Galaxy S9 from Samsung- The great desktop accessory to be launched soon
Samsung is planning to launch a new accessory with the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones and a new trademark application confirms its name. The company registered a trademark for something called a DeX Pad with the European Union’s Intellectual Property Office
Dex Station was one of the headline-grabbing accessories launched with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ last year. It enables users to connect their Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note8, to a monitor, keyboard and mouse for a desktop-like experience.
While the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are rumored to follow the same design language and naming scheme of the last year’s flagship models, the newer version of Dex Station is expected to launch with a slightly different name and form factor.
As said above Samsung has registered the ‘Dex Pad’ trademark at the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office). The registration almost confirms the launch of a new Dex accessory with the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. The name change also implies that the new Dex Station will probably come in a different form factor.
When Samsung releases its handsets most probably in coming month, the company will offer the new DeX Pad alongside the smartphones. The pad will be available in a black color and deliver wireless charging to the smartphones.
The DeX Pad will apparently provide the same functionality, allowing you to use the Samsung smartphone as a computing device. However, the name DeX Pad suggests it’ll get a redesign, as it could lay flat. Also considering Android Oreo now allows for users to employ a smartphone’s screen as an input device, effectively replacing a keyboard and mouse, perhaps Samsung won’t be as concerned about the separate mouse and keyboard functionality.
The new Dex Station which doesn’t require users to dock the phone but instead place it flat like on a wireless charging pad. The new form factor should also allow the smartphone screen to be used as a touchpad for the desktop experience.
While the Dex Pad seems to be a step up from the current Dex Station, it would have been more interesting if Samsung went the Huawei route and eliminated the need for a separate accessory. Huawei’s Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro offer Dex-like functionality by using a simple USB-C cable. While Samsung’s approach helps in better performance, the additional cost of buying Dex Pad may restrict it to a niche group of users.
Still, there are far more questions than answers surrounding the DeX Pad right now. According to the news Samsung is working on the DeX Pad and didn’t provide much insight into how the device might work and exactly what it might look like. It’s also unclear which ports will live on the DeX Pad, allowing you to convert your phone into a full-fledged computing device. Pricing is also unknown.
Samsung could make the Galaxy S9 smartphone available this February or March at the latest. Based on the latest Galaxy S9 rumors, Samsung’s next flagship is expected to deliver a similar design to last year’s model and come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor. It will also likely feature a dual-lens rear camera and run Android Oreo.