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 motive, 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” type 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; hold issues as they’re now, carry again BLE, ditch the S Pen whereas retaining compatibility, or simply do away with the S Pen completely. 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 only hold issues the identical because the Galaxy S25 Extremely. The group has voiced its opinion, however Samsung has the numbers to again up its determination.
In doing so, this may in all probability imply that we might have one other 12 months with out built-in Qi2 charging or help for magnetic equipment. To some, like myself, it is positively going to be annoying, however as I’ve already discovered with the S25 Extremely, accent makers supply a workaround.
Carry Again BLE
When iFixit revealed that the brand new S Pen options nearly the identical internals because the earlier model, I could not assist however giggle. 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. Nonetheless, the S24 Extremely and S25 Extremely S Pens aren’t precisely equivalent, main me to consider that there is a probability Samsung initially deliberate on together with BLE earlier than scrapping it.
Provided that these telephones are seemingly designed at the very least a 12 months or two upfront, the circuit boards had been already developed and printed however weren’t assembled. So when Samsung ran the numbers and located that virtually no one makes use of Air Actions, it determined in opposition to having the capacitors and different ins and outs added to the board.
That being mentioned, I feel that is the second least seemingly determination 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 Method
It would not be an editorial from me with out mentioning foldables at the very least as soon as, so right here we’re. Samsung first introduced alongside S Pen help with the Galaxy Z Fold 2, and each mannequin since has retained that help. Nonetheless, Samsung foldable telephones are suitable with a unique sort of S Pen, named the S Pen Fold Version.
For one, it is not 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. When it comes to performance, the S Pen Fold Version and the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s S Pen are just about the identical.
Samsung would not supply a S Pen Fold Version with Bluetooth built-in, which means that Z Fold customers are already used to not having Air Actions. Nonetheless, the Z Fold technically does help Air Actions, offered that you’ve got the now-discontinued S Pen Professional. Sadly, the Galaxy S25 Extremely would not supply any type of help for Bluetooth-enabled S Pens, so that you’re out of luck on that entrance.
If the Galaxy S26 Extremely had 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 area with a much bigger battery, or perhaps even a microSD card slot. It additionally seemingly would imply correct built-in Qi2 wi-fi charging, hopefully, full with help for MagSafe equipment while not 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 possibility that I may consider. Nevertheless it’s additionally extra unlikely that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will get the identical digicam {hardware} because the S25 Extremely.
There are nonetheless loads of individuals who use an S Pen, so I simply cannot see a situation the place Samsung simply drops it altogether. I am additionally conscious that corporations 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 attempting to push folks into the arms of Apple, Google, and OnePlus.
So what is the transfer?
If I had been a betting man (and I’m), I feel the Galaxy S26 Extremely will look and performance nearly identically to the Galaxy S25 Extremely. Full with the included S Pen. I feel Samsung is pleased with the design adjustments that it made with its newest flagship, and seeing how a lot pushback there was with the removing of BLE on the S Pen, I shudder to consider what would occur if the S Pen was not included.
For the sake of brevity, this is the place I rank the laid-out situations:
- Do not Change Something
- Take the Galaxy Z Fold Method
- Saying Goodbye?
- Carry Again BLE
In the event you suppose 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 12 months. That provides Samsung an possibility for individuals who need 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 reside alongside the Extremely whereas giving Samsung the flexibleness to supply quite a lot of telephones based mostly on what you need.
Nearly good
Just a few squabbles apart, you could not ask for rather 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.
