Is the iconic S Pen on its way out? A growing number of leaks suggest that Samsung may be preparing to phase out the S Pen from its flagship Galaxy S Ultra line – starting with the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
The writing’s been on the wall since the Galaxy S25 Ultra quietly dropped Bluetooth features from the S Pen.
At the time, Samsung said those features weren’t widely used, but fans weren’t thrilled. Now, a new leak shared by tipster @Jukanlosreve – reportedly based on a reliable Chinese source – claims the S27 Ultra may go one step further and ditch the built-in S Pen slot altogether.
While not confirmed, this move would mirror the strategy Samsung took with the Galaxy Z Fold lineup. These foldables support the S Pen but don’t include a dedicated slot – you have to buy the stylus separately, along with a compatible case if you want to store it with the device. If Samsung takes the same path with the S27 Ultra, it could signal the end of the S Pen as a built-in feature, possibly phasing it out entirely in the years to come.
Remember, the S Pen began life in the Galaxy Note series – a productivity-focused lineup that many fans still miss. When Samsung merged the Note and S lines, the Ultra model inherited the stylus, keeping Note enthusiasts onboard. Losing the built-in S Pen might feel like the final nail in the Note’s coffin for some loyal users.
But Samsung seems to be chasing a different goal: slimmer phones. Rumors about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 also suggest it may drop the S Pen digitizer entirely to achieve a sleeker profile. If that’s the future, then space-hungry components like the S Pen slot could be among the first things to go.
For now, we’ll have to wait and see what the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 unveils. It may offer more clues about Samsung’s long-term stylus strategy. But if this trend holds, the Galaxy S27 Ultra could be the first Ultra to ship without a place to stash your stylus – and maybe, eventually, without a stylus at all.