If you caught Samsung’s Unpacked livestream on Wednesday, you must have noticed how much time the company dedicated to the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra. From AI-driven enhancements and chipset upgrades to camera innovations and software advancements, Samsung had plenty to share with its global audience. However, one crucial feature went unmentioned during the event: the Galaxy S25 series offers satellite messaging capabilities.
The Galaxy S25 series features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite platform
Snapdragon Satellite is a satellite connectivity system Qualcomm developed for mobile phones. It allows devices to connect to low-earth orbit satellites to send and receive messages. Connections are established via narrowband non-terrestrial networks (NTN). Android OS natively supports this feature. However, satellite connectivity works only if the device is equipped with the necessary hardware system. The Galaxy S25 series has it.
According to Qualcomm, the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra are the first commercial devices to feature Snapdragon Satellite. If satellite connectivity is available in your region, you should be able to send and receive emergency messages via the new Samsung flagships even when there’s no cellular network coverage. Your phone automatically transmits messages via satellites when you lose mobile networks. You cannot manually force it to satellite connections when on an active mobile network.
This is a handy feature to have if you often visit remote locations with spotty mobile network coverage. Samsung is now accepting pre-orders for the Galaxy S25 trio in most global markets, with savings of up to $1,250 in the US. You can grab additional freebies via our Mystery Box program (link below). General sales of the new Samsung flagships begin on February 7, 2025.