No ™️ spen, no thanks!

[facu1ty]

Samsung really are pulling the wool over people's eyes. After saying they were reading usage reports, only 1% use the Bluetooth function on the spen. Apparently that equates to 160000 people which is a lot. Am I being thick or do they get these usage reports when we opt into it when setting up the phone? How many people turn off usage reports when setting up their phone? I know I do. I smell a rat with Samsung. Air gestures are so much fun. The most composed Selfies I find is by using the spen. This was the ultras signature ™️ that should never have been up for debate. It's a great bit of tech. The S25 ultra has lost it's id. It's looking like the IPhone now. IPhone/moto g stylus vibes. No thanks. Get back to the drawing board and start giving us S10 model vibes again when you were flexing muscles globally. But losing handy hardware and copying apple seems the way forward. 🤮

[facu1ty]

The removal of the headphone jack is nearly understandable. I love wireless headphones but also have very good wired headphones. It's not the same with an adapter. Ir blaster is a very useful tool. Don't care about sd card slots. Not the end of the world with those gone, and I would still buy it. But losing the Bluetooth function spen, you lose air gestures which are really cool. I only take selfies with my son, and the spen does it with the most convenience. Yes, people will still buy it, but that is not the point of this debate. I love my tech! I own the first tablet that Samsung introduced. Cost £400. I own the tab S9 ultra. I own a brilliant Samsung surround sound system. I own the Q95t, which cost £3000 when it came out in 2020. It was Samsungs highest tier flagship. Basically, I could grab the S25 ultra if I wanted, but it just doesn't wow me as much as it wows you. That's why I would prefer to stick with my S23 ultra. I think the S25 ultra is a nice phone. Just no wow factor. The S23 ultra will definitely give me more. Forgot to mention, I also own the 47mm watch 6 classic lol.. 👍🏻

[facu1ty]

Yes, I get it. But that's not the point I'm making. I see your heads been turned with those discounts you've mentioned completely taking your eye off the matter in hand. Great Samsung tactics that lol..

[facu1ty]

That's fine for the S26. I'm really not fussed if they lose the spen, but I hope we get another quality build like the S10 models had. Those felt the best in hand. If the ultra carries on with the spen, I'm sure they'll bring the Bluetooth function back. The spen with Bluetooth is just so cool! It's the little things. Anyways, sticking with my S23 ultra ✨️

[swills9]

Think the lack of use excuse was a red herring, they needed space inside the phone for the bigger 'chamber' to keep it cool.
Seeing a few YT vids made after the release, see a few are saying the camera on the 24 and 23 are better overall.

[facu1ty]

There you have it. There are so many gullible on here who are happy and content with what's thrown their way. I love the 10x zoom on my S23 ultra. Also, I love the Bluetooth function on the spen, lol..

[swills9]

May have bern tempted by the 25 Ultra, but was insulted by the 'value' of my 23 Ultra 1TB ! (£440)

[Joeeye]

Who said the S25 wowed me? I'm not singing its praises or anything, but I can't say it's any worse off than last years model, despite this bluetoothless S-Pen. There's a few things I dislike, like the rounded corners, the even larger camera rings. Its not all gravy, but at the end of the day, they're cosmetics and minor inconveniences. I do think I'll appreciate the weight difference and screen enhancements such as the improved upscaling. The performance is always a bonus.

I own several high-end Samsung products too, 2 of their 49" curved monitors as well as several tablets and phones. I don't buy them just because they're Samsung, I got them because they're products that appealed to me. If I find they drop something I just can't live without, I don't waste my time complaining about it, I just won't buy it, it's that simple. At the end of the day, Samsung make the product, not us, and what they choose to put in or not is up to them. Our job is to choose with our wallet whether it appeals to us or not, whatever the reason. Show your concern, sure, but not this overreaction and disdain with claims you'll never buy a Samsung again, seems so childish to me.

[facu1ty]

You've been coming across like the S25 has all the bells and whistles. And you keep dismissing how handy the Bluetooth function on the spen was. Like it really doesn't matter, especially when saving a measly £50 when you've already gone so far. When did I say I'll never buy another Samsung again? Stop making things up to suit your argument. That's being childish. Exactly that, if the product is worthy, then you buy it, especially with exciting tech. That's why I mentioned it's not worth me paying £752 and losing a very capable S23 ultra, which does give more for me than the S25 ultra. Seems mad. Complaining is what these forums are for mate. And we've already established I won't be buying it. I agree with the weight and upscaling screen. Those additions are always welcome. The camera bumps are horrendous. If they do decide to get rid of the spen completely, I really don't mind as long as they can make the phone thinner and lighter. If many are not using the spen, they should just sell it separately for those who would. That would clear this up for everyone. The phone could also have a bigger battery with more space.

[Joeeye]

I've owned all Ultras since they started and I've never found anything the previous generation possessed that the next lacked or that I felt was missing. The S23 was a great phone and you're right to be happy with it, I don't expect you to upgrade to the S25 if everything on it suits your needs. For me personally, the price difference was small enough after trade in for the swap to the S24 to be worth MY while, not saying it's true for everyone else. The same is especially true for me with the S25, it's even better value than last years. I in no way consider myself to be the typical consumer, but just a lover of tech. I buy the latest from Samsung because historically it's ALWAYS been an upgrade over last year (the S22 is the only line I'd say came close to debatable, battery life was a downgrade to me). The S25 ticks all the right boxes for me, and this might sound controversial to you, but even the removal of the S-Pen wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, although I'd like to have a 7000+ mah battery in place if they ever decided to do that.

[Greenmum1]

My head wasn't "turned" by the discounts, I prefer the os and general functionality so I am not throwing my dummy out of the pram about losing Bluetooth in the spen; but so what if it had, if they're going to give me huge financial incentives to buy the phone, I will. As I said, I tried the xperia 1 vi, and actually the xperia 1 v as well, and you know what, the Xperia 1 v open box from amazon, was more than I paid for my S25 ultra, but with only 1 more year of security updates, I am not particularly clever but that seems like getting the s25 ultra without Bluetooth functions in the spen, something many people didn't utilise, doesn't seem like a bad deal to me! If I had to pay more, I would, because I like the os but thankfully I am in a position where I don't have to pay so much, if apple came along with the same deal would I swap over, no, because I prefer android and my android phone of choice is a Samsung, they aren't holding a gun to my head and if their "tactics" work for me, I'll buy. I don't like that they have lost their messaging app, I would be even unhappier if Google pics replaced gallery like it has on the Xperia 1vi, that was a factor in me not keeping it, as well as price, even though it does have a memory card slot, but I would think about whether I could live with that and if I couldn't, I would look for other options not whine about it like I was the only person a worldwide company with millions of customers needs to consider