Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Everyone from Google and Samsung to OnePlus and Xiaomi made headlines at some point in 2025. Most of these headlines were expected, such as Samsung’s conservative Galaxy S25 series and the well-received Pixel 9a.
However, 2025 also saw more than its fair share of headlines that were simply hard to believe. So with that in mind, we’re taking a look at some of the most unbelievable stories of the year.
What was the most unbelievable news story of 2025? 24 votes Samsung downgrades S Pen 17 % Pixel 10's GPU choice 4 % Google tries to kill sideloading, hobbles custom ROMs 38 % PS3 emulators on Android 8 % Pixel battery defects 8 % The Z Fold 7 has a cutting-edge design 4 % Google offers world's first IP68 foldable 0 % OnePlus 13 is our phone of the year 4 % 7,000mAh+ phones go mainstream 8 % Other (leave a comment) 8 %
1. Samsung downgrades the S Pen
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
Samsung has offered the S Pen on the Galaxy Ultra line since 2022’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the accessory has been battling for space with the battery ever since. At this point, I thought the company’s only viable options were to double down on the S Pen’s importance or ditch it altogether.
So which route did Samsung take? Well, neither, as it opted to actually downgrade the Galaxy S25 Ultra S Pen by removing Bluetooth connectivity. That meant you couldn’t use the stylus for Air Actions, as a remote camera shutter, or for other similar wireless features. It didn’t help that Samsung charged the same price for a replacement stylus as the old S Pen, despite the new one lacking Bluetooth.
It was an unexpected decision to me, as I thought Samsung would either retain the feature to appease Ultra fans or ditch it and use the extra space for other features (e.g., a bigger battery). But alas, we got this fence-sitting move.
2. The Pixel 10’s weird GPU choice
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