Detail of a Microsoft Surface Pro X tablet, keyboard and Surface Slim stylus, taken on January 7, ...

The details come from a patent titled "Stylus for Zero Force Activation” and details a system to improve the Surface Pen’s ability know when to switch to inking mode.

Think of the Surface Pro 2-in-1s with their detachable keyboards that allowed for a tablet experience with and without qwerty input.

Think of the Surface Book’s outstanding feature of a laptop with a fully detachable screen.

Allowing the Surface Pen to better understand when to switch modes, to decrease the delay in switching modes, and to create a ‘magical’ experience mixing stylus- and inking-modes, is a natural next step for Microsoft to address.