However, it also reveals a concerning missing feature on the Plus models. While UWB (Ultra-wideband) has never made its way to the regular model, Samsung looks like it’ll be ditching support on the S27+, too, reserving it for Pro and Ultra models.
I don’t have an issue with some features being reserved for more premium models, but this isn’t the way to do it.
An anti-consumer upsell
UWB is nothing new. It’s been available on flagship phones since 2019, with Samsung getting in on the act a year later.
Since 2021, every single Samsung Galaxy S Plus phone has had built-in UWB. It’s the perfect companion for the company’s Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth trackers, allowing for precise, real-time directions when your items are nearby.
Also, if you have a modern car or other product which uses smart locking, UWB will unlock it as soon as it detects your phone in the vicinity. It’s a relatively niche feature, but after you’ve got used to it, it’s a quality-of-life upgrade you don’t want to lose.
Samsung
Which is what makes its expected removal on the Galaxy S27+ so frustrating. Actively removing features that users have come to rely on is a cruel way to try and convince them to pay more. If I owned the S26+, it’d make me determined to skip the ‘upgrade’ that could make my phone less convenient to use.
