I am a long time Samsung customer who has used the Note series since the Note 3 and later the Ultra line specifically because of the built in S Pen. The S Pen is not a novelty feature. It is a core reason many customers remain loyal to Samsung. I have already noticed concerning signals. Bluetooth functionality was removed from the S25 Ultra S Pen, and recent S26 Ultra mockups show the S Pen pushed farther toward the rounded edge of the device. These design choices strongly suggest a gradual deprioritization of the S Pen rather than a commitment to improving it. If Samsung removes the S Pen or eliminates the Ultra line, I will stop purchasing Samsung phones. At that point I would seriously consider switching ecosystems, including to a foldable iPhone if one becomes available. Removing defining features is not innovation and does not benefit loyal power users. I am frustrated by the ongoing pattern of removing key hardware features such as SD card slots, charging cubes, and other high quality accessories while prices continue to rise. These decisions make long time customers feel ignored and undervalued. Please understand that power users and professional users still exist. Decisions driven only by usage metrics do not capture the full value of loyalty, productivity, and long term brand trust. Removing or slowly sidelining the S Pen would be unacceptable and would permanently damage Samsungโs differentiation in the flagship market. Let's let Samsung know we won't stand by as they slowly phase out the S Pen.
I wouldn't expect the S Pen to disappear totally. It's a niche feature that not all users need, but remains a significant selling point.
The feature removal is a data based decision and is rumored (not confirmed) to be part of the progression toward new features like magnetic wireless charging.
With competitors like Motorola starting to introduce their own versions (moto pen,) I personally expect the S Pen to stick around.
As for features like SD card slots, I would not expect those to ever return. External drives are a great option for additional storage and are comparable in price.
