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Leaked Galaxy S25 Ultra images seem to confirm Samsung's self-sabotaging move

By Anam Hamid

Updated: Jan 20, 2025, 2:00 AM

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With the Galaxy S25 Ultra launch week finally here, leaks are intensifying. A promotional video briefly went online two days ago before being pulled from the internet. Some new official-looking of the Galaxy S25 Ultra and its S Pen have now emerged.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra isn't just expected to do away with the Note's boxy design. Its S Pen might lose the Bluetooth connectivity introduced with the Galaxy Note 9 in 2018.

Bluetooth compatibility enables many S Pen features, including remote controllability for taking pictures and controlling presentations and Air actions for allowing gesture controls.

You will still be able to write and doodle with a non-Bluetooth S Pen, but it will feel inferior. A new rumor appears to confirm that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will indeed lose some of its best features.

Galaxy S25 Ultra's promotional images seem to emphasise the S Pen's non-Bluetooth features. | Image Credit - Tarun Vats, X

A promotional image posted by Tarun Vats seems to hint that Samsung will emphasize simple functionalities such as sketching and note-taking, suggesting the Galaxy S25 Ultra's S Pen will not have Bluetooth. The S Pen will still be able to summon Air Command, a menu with shortcuts to features that work with the stylus.

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Since the Air Command menu appears when you hover the S Pen over the screen, you might think it requires Bluetooth, but that's not the case. Instead, it relies on electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology to make the display recognize it even if it is just hovering over it.

Samsung may have nixed Bluetooth support because not many people require it. Additionally, it may introduce some enhancements to make you forget about the loss of Bluetooth, such as a 1.5mm tip for ease of use, improved durability, and a better sketching experience.

Other than that, the leaked images also give us another look at the Galaxy S25 Ultra's slightly rounded corners and flat sides, which give it a new character.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.