Samsung officially pulled the curtain back on its Galaxy S25 Ultra at the big global launch event on January 23, and as expected, the S Pen was front and center.
But this time, Samsung threw in a few surprises, and not all of them are winning fans over.
Let’s talk about the S Pen first.
It’s priced at $49.99 and comes in Black, Light Grey, and Light Silver.
Galaxy S25: Ultra Sleek But
Pretty sleek, right? It still boasts a 1.5mm tip and 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, making it perfect for writing, doodling, or sketching. Plus, it keeps the Air Command feature we’ve come to know and love. But here’s where things get dicey: the S25 Ultra’s S Pen has gone “passive.” Translation? No Bluetooth.
Yep, you read that right. This means no more Air Actions, remote camera controls, or fancy hover gestures. For fans of the Note series and earlier Ultra models, this feels like a major letdown.
The lack of Bluetooth does mean you won’t need to worry about charging the stylus, which Samsung argues simplifies the design and cuts costs. But is that enough to make up for losing those nifty features?
Rollercoaster
To make things even murkier, Samsung’s blog initially hinted that the S25 Ultra might work with Bluetooth-enabled S Pens like the S Pen Pro. Cue excitement from fans hoping for a workaround! But it didn’t last long. Samsung later clarified that this was an error—no Bluetooth S Pens will work with the S25 Ultra. Talk about a rollercoaster.
Not surprisingly, fans aren’t thrilled. Social media is buzzing with complaints from users who loved the remote camera controls and air gestures. Many are scratching their heads, wondering why Samsung would ditch such popular features. According to Samsung, the decision came down to low usage stats and a desire to simplify. But for long-time Note loyalists, this feels like a step backward—or worse, a sign that the S Pen’s days might be numbered.
For casual users who just need a stylus for jotting notes or light tasks, the changes might not be a big deal. But for power users who relied on Bluetooth features, this feels like a major downgrade. Whether Samsung’s gamble pays off remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s S Pen is sparking plenty of debate—and not all of it is good.
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