Past the Alphabet
Past the Alphabet is a weekly column that focuses on the tech world each inside and outside of the confines of Mountain View.
For no matter purpose, individuals are nonetheless upset about Samsung eradicating the BLE performance from the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s S Pen. Maybe it is only a “vocal minority” sort of factor, however the discourse left us questioning what Samsung ought to do for the Galaxy S26 Extremely.
There are actually 4 completely different paths that Samsung may take; maintain issues as they’re now, convey again BLE, ditch the S Pen whereas retaining compatibility, or simply eliminate the S Pen totally. Every of those comes with its personal units of professionals and cons, so let’s take a deeper look.
Do not Change Something
For me, the obvious plan of action is for Samsung to simply maintain issues the identical because the Galaxy S25 Extremely. The group has voiced its opinion, however Samsung has the numbers to again up its choice.
In doing so, this could in all probability imply that we might have one other yr with out built-in Qi2 charging or assist for magnetic equipment. To some, like myself, it is undoubtedly going to be annoying, however as I’ve already discovered with the S25 Extremely, accent makers provide a workaround.
Carry Again BLE
When iFixit revealed that the brand new S Pen options virtually the identical internals because the earlier model, I could not assist however chortle. Not as a result of it was stunning however as a result of all Samsung did was use a clean circuit board.
My first thought was that Samsung in all probability simply slapped the circuit boards in there as a part of the structural integrity or one thing. Nevertheless, the S24 Extremely and S25 Extremely S Pens aren’t precisely equivalent, main me to imagine that there is a likelihood Samsung initially deliberate on together with BLE earlier than scrapping it.
On condition that these telephones are possible designed no less than a yr or two prematurely, the circuit boards have been already developed and printed however weren’t assembled. So when Samsung ran the numbers and located that virtually no person makes use of Air Actions, it determined in opposition to having the capacitors and different ins and outs added to the board.
That being stated, I believe that is the second least possible choice Samsung would make with the Galaxy S26 Extremely. I simply cannot see an organization backtracking simply to appease lower than 1% of its buyer base.
Take the Galaxy Z Fold Strategy
It would not be an editorial from me with out mentioning foldables no less than as soon as, so right here we’re. Samsung first introduced alongside S Pen assist with the Galaxy Z Fold 2, and each mannequin since has retained that assist. Nevertheless, Samsung foldable telephones are appropriate with a special sort of S Pen, named the S Pen Fold Version.
For one, it isn’t built-in, nor will you discover one within the field. As an alternative, it is a separate buy, both by itself or included with Samsung’s S Pen Case. By way of performance, the S Pen Fold Version and the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s S Pen are just about the identical.
Samsung does not provide a S Pen Fold Version with Bluetooth built-in, which means that Z Fold customers are already used to not having Air Actions. Nevertheless, the Z Fold technically does assist Air Actions, supplied that you’ve the now-discontinued S Pen Professional. Sadly, the Galaxy S25 Extremely does not provide any sort of assist for Bluetooth-enabled S Pens, so that you’re out of luck on that entrance.
If the Galaxy S26 Extremely have been to take this route, it may open the door for extra enhancements. By ditching the built-in S Pen, that ought to imply Samsung can fill that house with an even bigger battery, or perhaps even a microSD card slot. It additionally possible would imply correct built-in Qi2 wi-fi charging, hopefully, full with assist for MagSafe equipment without having a case.
Saying goodbye?
Certainly Samsung would not take away one of many defining causes to choose an Extremely over some other flagship cellphone? Proper? Effectively, that is the one different potential choice that I may consider. Nevertheless it’s additionally extra unlikely that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will get the identical digital camera {hardware} because the S25 Extremely.
There are nonetheless loads of individuals who use an S Pen, so I simply cannot see a state of affairs the place Samsung simply drops it altogether. I am additionally conscious that firms have a knack for simply eliminating issues for the sake of it, however this would not make a lot sense. Effectively, that is except Samsung was actively making an attempt to push folks into the arms of Apple, Google, and OnePlus.
So what is the transfer?
If I have been a betting man (and I’m), I believe the Galaxy S26 Extremely will look and performance virtually identically to the Galaxy S25 Extremely. Full with the included S Pen. I believe Samsung is happy with the design adjustments that it made with its newest flagship, and seeing how a lot pushback there was with the elimination of BLE on the S Pen, I shudder to consider what would occur if the S Pen was now not included.
For the sake of brevity, here is the place I rank the laid-out situations:
- Do not Change Something
- Take the Galaxy Z Fold Strategy
- Saying Goodbye?
- Carry Again BLE
In case you assume I am loopy, do not forget concerning the Galaxy S25 Edge that is slated to be launched in some unspecified time in the future this yr. That offers Samsung an choice for many who desire a big-screen cellphone however with out the majority of needing to have a spot for the S Pen. Which means that the Edge can dwell alongside the Extremely whereas giving Samsung the flexibleness to supply quite a lot of telephones primarily based on what you need.
Virtually excellent
A couple of squabbles apart, you could not ask for far more from a flagship smartphone. The Galaxy S25 Extremely packs a punch in additional methods than one, and goes past even what we thought was attainable.