Smartphone fans have learned to live with small yearly upgrades. A slightly faster chip, a marginally brighter screen and a few new software tricks are now the norm. Taking away something owners already use is different. That is what the latest Galaxy S27 rumours suggest Samsung may do, and it deserves pushback.
What the rumours say
According to reports circulating this week, all four phones in Samsung’s next flagship range have passed through China’s MIIT certification. The lineup is said to be the Galaxy S27, S27+, S27 Ultra and a new model called the S27 Pro. Certification usually means a launch is close, and one well-known Korean leaker claims the phones are scheduled for January, or February at the latest.
The listings also reportedly show that the S27+ will not support ultra-wideband (UWB). The technology is expected to be kept for the Pro and Ultra models. The standard Galaxy S has never had UWB, so nothing changes there. The Plus is different. It has included UWB in every generation since 2021, so this would be a rare case of a feature being removed rather than merely withheld.
Why a small feature matters
UWB is not glamorous. It will never appear in a launch-event highlight reel the way a new camera sensor or AI feature does. But it does useful work in the background.
Its best-known use is precise tracking. Paired with Samsung’s SmartTag trackers, UWB can guide you to a lost item with on-screen direction and distance. Bluetooth alone can only tell you roughly that something is nearby. When you are hunting for keys in a messy flat, that difference is real.
The second use is convenience. Many modern cars and smart locks use UWB so the door opens as your phone approaches, without you taking it out of your pocket. Few people buy a phone for this, but once you are used to it, going back to fumbling for a key fob or a button feels like a step backwards.
That is the problem with removing it. UWB is not a headline feature, so most buyers will not notice it is missing until they try to use it. Many will find out only after they have paid.
A familiar upsell
Premium tiers exist for a reason, and nobody is owed every feature at every price. The Ultra has always had the best camera zoom, the S Pen and the largest battery. Those are clear selling points that justify a higher price.
Stripping a feature from a model that already had it is a different kind of decision. It does not reward people who pay more. It punishes people who stay where they are. An S26+ owner would be looking at an “upgrade” that is worse in one respect, and the quickest way to restore the feature would be to spend more on a Pro or Ultra.
The context matters too. The addition of an S27 Pro suggests a more crowded lineup with finer price steps. In a structure like that, the Plus model risks being squeezed from both sides: too similar to the standard phone to be exciting, and now missing a feature that once set it apart. If the S27+ loses UWB and the Pro adds it, some people will reasonably wonder how long the Plus has left. Rumours about the range being reshaped did not appear from nowhere, and this one fits the pattern.
The bigger picture is not great either
The UWB question is not the only cloud over the S27 series. A Korean outlet has reported that Samsung gave Qualcomm an ultimatum over reported overheating problems with its latest top-end Snapdragon chip. The claim is that the S27 phones could switch to Samsung’s own Exynos 2700 if the issue is not resolved. Qualcomm has called the reports inaccurate, so this should be treated as unconfirmed.
Even so, it points to a possible compromise. Samsung already uses Exynos chips in some regions for the S26 and S26+, and those phones have not matched the best Snapdragon-powered rivals for efficiency in every test. A whole generation without the top Android chip would be an unusual retreat for a company that markets its Galaxy S range as the benchmark for Android.
There is better news on timing. The S26 series arrived late by Samsung’s usual standards, with an announcement in late February and shipping in March. A return to a January or February launch would restore the familiar rhythm and give Samsung a head start on rivals. That is only sensible scheduling, though. It does not make up for a worse spec sheet.
Samsung should reconsider
None of this is final. Certification listings are not product announcements, and specifications can be misread or misreported. Samsung may yet confirm UWB on the S27+, or explain a decision that makes sense in context.
But if the reports are accurate, the company would be wise to think again. The cost of including UWB is small, and the benefit to owners of an S26+ is real. Trust is also at stake. Buyers who pay premium prices expect each generation to be at least as capable as the last. If Samsung teaches them that “newer” can mean “less”, it gives them a reason to hold on to their current phones, or to look at what Apple and Google are offering.
Small upgrades are forgivable. Subtraction is harder to excuse. If the S27+ does arrive without UWB, and likely at a higher price, it would be the clearest sign yet that Samsung is more interested in steering buyers toward its top tiers than in making each phone better.
