Face it — The S Pen No Longer Aligns With Samsung’s Vision

After spending some time with the Galaxy S25 Edge, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re witnessing the beginning of the end for the built-in S Pen. Don’t get me wrong — the S Pen still works well on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. After all, it’s been a defining feature of Samsung’s Ultra flagships for years. But the subtle changes with this year’s model suggest a shift in priorities. If you’re paying attention, the clues are all there.

Samsung could be gearing up to retire the built-in S Pen

For starters, Samsung stripped Bluetooth functionality from the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s S Pen. That means no more Air Actions, remote camera triggers, or slide navigation. And honestly? Most users haven’t really noticed. It’s telling that one of the S Pen’s biggest marketing features just disappeared, and the reaction was… crickets. While there was some initial backlash, it faded fast. The silence that followed speaks volumes about how little the average user relies on those features today, despite how heavily they were once marketed.

Then there’s the possibility of Samsung moving toward digitizer-free S Pen technology — a development that’s been quietly bubbling under the surface. If successful, the company could offer stylus support without needing the hardware bulk that comes with traditional digitizers. This could pave the way for the S Pen to become an optional, external accessory across the Ultra line. Samsung already does that with the Galaxy Z Fold series.

And really, that would align with Samsung’s design goals. A bigger battery, a slimmer frame, more room for cooling — all of these are things Samsung could prioritize if it didn’t need to carve out space for the S Pen silo. The Ultra models are already packed to the brim with cutting-edge components, and every millimeter of internal space matters. Trading a niche feature for broader battery or thermal gains could be a win for most users.

It’s a delicate balance. The S Pen still has a loyal following, especially among power users and digital artists. But the writing may be on the wall. When a company starts dialing back on a signature feature without fanfare — and without pushback — it usually means a transition is underway. I’ve been using the Galaxy S25 Edge as a daily driver for a while, replacing the S25 Ultra, and it’s easy to see the benefits of removing the S Pen.

Galaxy S25 Edge illustrates new priorities

Samsung clearly wants thinner, lighter phones. The Galaxy S25 Edge is the beginning of a trend toward thinness throughout the Galaxy S series. Using the Edge in place of my S25 Ultra for the past two weeks, this idea makes a lot of sense. If you own a Galaxy S25 Ultra, you probably don’t think it’s very heavy. However, picking up the S25 Edge is an entirely different experience. Plus, if you drop the S25 Edge on your face, you probably won’t end up with a bloody nose.

To be clear, I like the S Pen, and I’m not advocating that it go away entirely. But the benefits of a slim and light phone with a big screen far outweigh the need for a built-in S Pen, at least in my view. When I do find a need for the S Pen, it usually makes more sense to bring out my Galaxy Tab anyway. There will certainly be those who need or want the S Pen inside their phone, but most would be fine without it. Assuming Samsung does make the S Pen a separate accessory, they could also consider bringing back Bluetooth capability at that point.

If Samsung does eventually phase out the built-in S Pen, it probably won’t be sudden. It could be gradual, just like what we’re seeing now. Features will be trimmed, support will shift, and the stylus will quietly become a premium add-on rather than a built-in tool.