Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra drops cool S-Pen tricks
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra still comes with its handy S-Pen, but this time, Samsung has shaken things up by taking away its Bluetooth powers. The S-Pen has always been a star for creativity on Samsung devices, shining bright since the Note days. Over time, the company spiced it up with Bluetooth, letting you do neat things without even touching the screen—like opening apps, snapping photos, or controlling music.
You’ll find this Bluetooth version in older models like the Note 20 Ultra and the last four Galaxy S-series Ultra phones. But with the S25 Ultra, that wireless magic is gone. Samsung hasn’t explained why they made this switch, even though the phone’s already out and selling well since pre-orders began. So, what exactly did we lose?
Long Press Fun
One cool Bluetooth trick was pressing and holding the S-Pen button to launch an app. By default, it fired up the Camera, but you could tweak it in settings to open whatever you wanted—like navigation tools or other apps.
Wave It in the Air
The older S-Pens could also read air gestures—little waves or moves to get stuff done. Here’s what they did:
- Swiping left or right took you back or to recent apps.
- Moving up and down sent you to the home screen.
- A quick down-and-up motion opened a tool to grab screenshots.
- A zigzag wiggle let you doodle on whatever was onscreen.
These moves were adjustable, so you could set them up however you liked. Plus, some apps, like the Camera, had their special tricks—think snapping a pic or starting a video with one press, or double-tapping to flip the lens. You could even swipe to zoom or switch modes in music apps.
Wrapping Up
The S25 Ultra’s S-Pen is still great for drawing and writing, but without Bluetooth, it feels a little less lively. Fans can hope Samsung brings back these fun features with the S26 Ultra—but for now, it’s up to them to decide the S-Pen’s future.
