- Leaks suggest the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will receive a significant S Pen downgrade.
- The S Pen on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is rumored to skip Bluetooth connectivity.
- Without Bluetooth, the S Pen will reportedly lose features like Air Gestures and remote camera control.
The Samsung Galaxy S Ultra line has long been defined by its powerful features and notably its integrated S Pen stylus. The Galaxy S25 Ultra will be launching on the Galaxy Unpacked Event, with features like Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The device will also ship with Android 15-based One UI 7.
However, a new leak suggests a significant change is coming to this iconic accessory that comes bundled with the Ultra models. According to leaker Ishan Agarwal, the S Pen is set to lose its Bluetooth connectivity. This move would result in the removal of some cool features of the Ultra line like Air Gestures and remote camera control.
The S Pen first debuted alongside the original Galaxy Note in 2011. Initially focused on handwriting and drawing, the S Pen gradually evolved, adding features like pressure sensitivity and improved latency. A significant turning point came with the Galaxy Note 9 in 2018, which introduced Bluetooth connectivity. This unlocked new possibilities, such as remote control and gesture-based interactions. The integration of Bluetooth made the S Pen a unique and powerful tool, setting Samsung’s Note (and later Ultra) devices apart from the competition.
Here’s What Galaxy S25 Ultra’s S Pen Could Lose
The removal of Bluetooth connectivity from the S Pen would directly impact several key features that users have come to expect from the stylus. These features need Bluetooth technology to enhance the S Pen’s functionality beyond simple writing and drawing:
- Air Gestures: These gestures allow users to control certain phone functions by waving the S Pen in the air. For example, users can switch between camera modes, control media playback, or navigate presentations without physically touching the screen.
- Remote Camera Control: The S Pen’s button can be used as a remote shutter for the phone’s camera. This is particularly useful for taking selfies or group photos from a distance.
The loss of these features would impact the S Pen experience, especially for users who regularly utilize them for productivity or creative tasks.
Why Samsung Might Make This Change?
Samsung might be aiming for cost reduction by eliminating Bluetooth components. They may also have data showing limited usage of Bluetooth features like Air Gestures, as most users stick to basic writing and drawing.
Samsung may be focusing on improving other aspects of the S Pen such as reducing latency, enhancing pressure sensitivity, or improving accuracy. Removing Bluetooth might free up resources or internal space to prioritize these other enhancements.
One potential alternative to removing Bluetooth entirely would be to switch to a different wireless technology, such as Ultra-Wideband (UWB). UWB offers greater precision and could potentially enable new features like precise S Pen location tracking within the SmartThings Find app, as well as maintaining existing Bluetooth features.
However, current leaks do not suggest that Samsung is pursuing this path. All indications point towards a complete removal of wireless communication capabilities from the S Pen.
Let’s see how Samsung presents this new S Pen without Bluetooth and what impact it has on the overall user experience. Stay tuned for more updates.
