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Samsung is reportedly planning a major redesign for its upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra, which could mean the end of the built-in slot for the iconic S Pen. For years, the S Pen has been stored inside the phone—a signature feature of the Ultra series. But in 2026, that might change. The reason? Samsung wants to make room for a bigger battery.
Despite being Samsung’s premium flagship, the Galaxy S25 Ultra once again featured a 5,000mAh battery, much to the disappointment of fans who have seen the same capacity repeated over multiple generations. In response to this stagnation, Samsung is exploring ways to reclaim internal space—and the S Pen slot is reportedly the first target.
According to reliable leaker PandaFlashPro, Samsung may eliminate the S Pen silo in the Galaxy S26 Ultra to make room for a larger, possibly 7,000mAh battery. This upgrade could be made possible with stacked battery designs and a shift to Silicon-Carbon battery tech, which some Chinese smartphone brands are already testing for capacities as high as 8,000mAh.
It appears Samsung might be getting rid of the Built-in S-Pen in the Future Ultra to make more room.
— PandaFlash 𝕏 (@PandaFlashPro) April 2, 2025
There’s also a chance Samsung may ditch one of the rear telephoto lenses, enabled by a rumored variable aperture main camera, further freeing up space inside the device.
As for where the S Pen might go—Samsung could take a cue from Apple’s iPad Pro. A magnetic solution on the phone’s flat edges could allow users to snap the S Pen onto the side of the device, potentially even enabling wireless charging. This would be a significant design shift but could be welcomed if it leads to a dramatically better battery life.
In addition to the design overhaul, renders suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra will sport thinner bezels and retain the punch-hole front camera, skipping the transition to an under-display selfie camera. Powering the device will be the next-gen Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 with Galaxy AP in the U.S., China, and Canada, while the Exynos 2600 will run under the hood in other regions.
