Though the Galaxy S27 Ultra premiere is still months away, we are already hearing many tidbits about it. With the iPhone 18 Pro Max already here, this allows us to start thinking about how the two flagships will match against each other.
Even this early, it appears there is one thing that could help the S27 Ultra stand ahead of every slab iPhone you can buy, without giving a chance to Apple to respond.
The S Pen is key to the Galaxy S27 Ultra's success
Recently, we reported on Samsung’s plans to equip the Galaxy S27 Ultra with its most advanced M16 displays, which should come with better colors, brightness, efficiency, and durability. We used the occasion to ask you about your main reasons to upgrade to the upcoming flagship, and the results were quite intriguing.
At the time of writing, a bit over 28% of you said speed was that main reason, which is only natural when we talk about a top-tier flagship. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is rumored to break new ground with a 5GHz clock speed, Samsung fans shouldn’t worry about speed. Still, Apple’s A20 Pro chip also came with exciting performance upgrades, which means the iPhone 18 Pro and S27 Ultra may not be all that different in terms of speed.
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What would be your main reason for getting the S27 Ultra?
981 Votes
Another 27% of you said the S Pen is the main reason to get an S27 Ultra, practically putting its significance on par with the speed of the phone. What makes the S Pen arguably more important is that it’s the only truly unique feature Samsung has against its main flagship competitors. Neither the iPhone 18 Pro Max, nor the Pixel 11 Pro XL supports anything like the S Pen, and they never will.
It’s about the full package
S Pen could be one of the main differences between the S27 Ultra and S27 Pro. | Image by TheGalox_ on X
Just shy of 25% of you have chosen the display, while 20% picked Android as the main reason for an upgrade to the S27 Ultra. Just like the speed, those are features offered by many other devices.
The M16 displays expected on Samsung’s new upcoming phone are already available on the latest iPhone and Pixel 11 models. While One UI 9 is unique to Samsung phones, Android is the most popular mobile OS, powering practically every smartphone that wasn’t made by Apple. None of these could help the Korean company differentiate from its competitors in the same way as the S Pen.
Still, the relatively even distribution of your votes shows that there’s no one thing that can make a flagship smartphone enticing enough, even if it’s made by the leading Android smartphone manufacturer. To get people’s attention, Samsung needs to offer a fantastic display, the fastest speed possible, a polished software experience, and something as unique as the S Pen.
Double down on this, Samsung
I’m not trying to dismiss the difficulty of pulling off a flagship Android smartphone, but basically every serious manufacturer already offers a fast phone with a nice display and good software. I’m not the biggest fan of the S Pen, but that’s one of the few things that make the S27 Ultra truly stand out from its peers. That’s why I’d recommend to Samsung to double down on it, add features, and make it the special feature everyone loves before anyone else gets it done.
Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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