Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra Bluetooth S Pen Fiasco: What You Need to Know

• Samsung launched the Galaxy S25 Ultra with an S Pen, but it lacks Bluetooth functionality.
• An official Samsung blog post revealed that a Bluetooth-enabled S Pen will be available as a separate purchase.
• Despite this claim, Samsung’s official website does not list the Bluetooth S Pen, and tests show the S Pen Pro is incompatible.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has arrived, bringing new additions like Galaxy AI and Now Brief. However, a key feature change is causing quite a debate. As rumored, the latest S25 Ultra no longer supports S Pen gestures, launching with an included S Pen that lacks Bluetooth connectivity. This feature is still present in previous models.

But, as Notebookcheck pointed out, a recent post on Samsung’s official blog made things even more confusing. The blog post mentioned that users will be able to buy a separate S Pen with Bluetooth. This has led to a lot of mixed messages across Samsung’s websites and announcements, leaving people wondering what’s going on

What’s Missing? The Removed S Pen Features

A key difference between the S25 Ultra’s S Pen and its predecessors is the absence of Bluetooth. This means users will no longer be able to use Air Actions, the suite of handy remote control features.

For starters, Air Actions allow for gesture-based control of various phone functions, including camera operation, presentation navigation, and general phone navigation, all with a flick of the S Pen in the air. Without Bluetooth, these convenient gesture controls are no longer available.

Samsung stated that the Bluetooth features weren’t widely used and it would allow for cost savings. This explanation, however, doesn’t align with the actual pricing of the S25 Ultra.

Here’s What Samsung’s Blog Said

A recent post on Samsung’s official blog has made the S Pen situation even more confusing. The blog talks about how the S Pen can help you get more done, and they mention a Bluetooth-enabled version. This version can control certain apps remotely, such as taking photos with the camera app, similar to the previous S Pen.

You can switch between camera modes, control media playback, or navigate presentations without physically touching the screen by waving the S Pen in the air. The S Pen’s button can be used as a remote shutter for the phone’s camera, which can be useful for taking selfies or group photos from a distance. However, the blog clearly states that this Bluetooth S Pen isn’t included with the phone and is sold separately.

This means that the S Pen that comes with the S25 Ultra does not have these remote control features. If you want them, you have to buy a separate S Pen. This has left many of us wondering why Samsung would remove a feature and then sell it back to us as an add-on.

The S Pen Story So Far

So, here’s the problem: the S25 Ultra comes with an S Pen that doesn’t have Bluetooth. But Samsung’s blog says there’s a Bluetooth version you can buy. On top of that, Samsung’s website doesn’t even list this separate Bluetooth S Pen. And to add even more to the confusion, Samsung first said the S Pen Pro (which does have Bluetooth) would work with the Ultra. However, attempts to pair it during a media briefing were unsuccessful, and a Samsung executive later confirmed that it was incompatible with the S25 Ultra.

This conflicting information from Samsung makes it incredibly difficult to understand the S Pen’s functionality and availability. Buyers are left with many questions: Is a separate Bluetooth S Pen necessary? Does it even exist? And why the confusion about the S Pen Pro’s compatibility? There have been no clear answers from Samsung since the blog post was published.

Possible Explanations

The inconsistent information surrounding the S25 Ultra’s S Pen raises the question of what went wrong. Several possibilities could explain the mixed messages coming from Samsung:

• Late Decision on Separate Sale: Samsung might have initially planned to include Bluetooth functionality in the standard S Pen but later decided to offer it as a separate purchase. This late change could explain the conflicting information.

• Accidental Release of Draft Information: It’s possible that draft information about a Bluetooth S Pen was accidentally published on the blog or other sites.

• Regional Differences/Rollout Strategy: The separate Bluetooth S Pen might be initially focused on specific regions or markets, with wider availability later.

These are just some possible explanations for the S Pen confusion. Until Samsung provides a clear answer, it’s hard to know for sure what’s going on. Stay tuned for future updates.

Anchit Srivastava

Working as a Tech Writer at Tech Wiser, I’m passionate about technology since childhood. I enjoy discussing it with friends, exploring new techs, and analyzing features in Android, iOS, and other technologies. My goal is to simplify complex information about current and emerging technologies, making them more accessible and understandable to people interested in learning more.