The New Galaxy S26 Ultra S Pen Still Lacks Bluetooth.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup is here , and in many ways, it’s a refresh. It brings new features like a privacy-protecting display, along with expected improvements to the chipset, battery life (for the base model), and charging speeds (for the Ultra). But one key element of the S26 ecosystem still represents a step back, even compared to the Galaxy S24: Samsung removed Bluetooth from the S Pen stylus in the Galaxy S25 Ultra last year, and unfortunately, it hasn’t returned in the S26 Ultra.
This was a blow to fans of the S Pen’s previous wireless control features, which debuted on the Galaxy Note 10 in 2019 and allowed the S Pen to do things like take photos or switch between camera modes from a distance. Essentially, it was a built-in remote control for your phone, so you no longer had to fiddle with camera timers or PowerPoint remotes. Users made it clear they weren’t happy with the removal of this feature from the S25 Ultra, but it seems that wasn’t enough to deter Samsung from ditching it.
Why did Samsung ditch Bluetooth in the S Pen stylus?
With the S26 Ultra announced, any hope for a triumphant return of Bluetooth to the S Pen seems to have faded completely. Samsung is remaining silent on the matter this time around, but the company did offer an explanation for why the feature was removed back when the S25 Ultra was unveiled.
In a statement to Android Police, Samsung attributed the feature’s deprecation to low user usage, stating, “Bluetooth Low Energy is not supported on the Galaxy S25 Ultra because Samsung has found that S Pen usage for BLE-enabled features is very low.” However, the company also took the opportunity to promote products that still offer some features stripped from the S Pen, adding that “Galaxy users rely on gesture controls on the Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watch to take hands-free photos.”
While it’s encouraging that Samsung hasn’t completely abandoned remote control for its phones, it’s worth noting that the current generation Galaxy Watch starts at $350, while the Galaxy Ring costs $400. These aren’t exactly replacements for the accessory that comes with your phone.
What features have been lost from the S Pen?
The S Pen’s Bluetooth also proved slightly more versatile than the gesture controls on the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring. While the S Pen was useful for taking photos, its full list of Bluetooth features included:
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Taking photos and adjusting camera modes from a distance.
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Let’s move on to the next photo in the Samsung Gallery app.
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Moving forward and backward in the Samsung Internet browser is done using the function button, as well as using gestures to navigate the page.
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Recording voice notes.
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Navigate the Samsung Notes app and select styluses from a distance.
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Moving between slides in PowerPoint.
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Control audio and media playback.
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Using Air Actions, which functioned as gesture controls to activate certain, sometimes customizable, phone features.
Can I still use the Galaxy S24 Ultra?
The latest phone to feature a Bluetooth-equipped S Pen is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and if you’re a devoted Bluetooth S Pen user, I have good news for you. The Galaxy S24 series was the first Samsung line to promise seven years of updates, meaning the Galaxy S24 Ultra will receive official support directly from Samsung until 2031. This gives you plenty of time before you need to upgrade, so you can stubbornly stick with your device for at least a while longer. And despite being several years old, the S24 Ultra is still quite powerful, with the same display resolution and RAM as the S26 Ultra, a still-competitive Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, and a 200-megapixel rear camera. If you don’t need the most advanced tech, this is a great configuration that can run even demanding apps like Genshin Impact on high settings without issue.
Now that two generations have passed since the S24 Ultra’s release, it seems unlikely that Bluetooth will leave Samsung’s market. But if you have an older device, you won’t have to mourn, at least for a while.