It appears Samsung is getting ready to release a smartphone or tablet with a built-in fan, going by a recent trademark application uncovered by LetsGoDigital.
The trademark, for ‘Activate Fan Mode’, was registered on 11 May 2021 with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO).
The application is somewhat short on the description but makes it clear the fan mode will be applying to smartphones and tablets, both of which are normally passively cooled.
Samsung has released smartphones before with Water Carbon Cooling system, Copper Vapor Chamber cooling or Graphite Cooling pads, but never with an actual fan.
The idea brings to mind the Nubia Red Magic 3, which did in fact include a tiny fan for cooling.
Such a device will likely be aimed at the gaming market since thermal throttling is a major issue when playing demanding games on mobile. It remains to be seen if Samsung intends to aim such a device at the mass market, with its flagship range, or for a more niche gaming smartphone.
The trademark application can be seen here.