Verizon now supports texting via satellite on the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25

Verizon has announced that it will now support sending text messages via satellite on phones from the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25 lineup. Both Google and Samsung's current phones support satellite connectivity, but neither has really leveraged the skill outside of the Satellite SOS feature that was added to Android 15.

Sending texts via satellite will be available when Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25 phones are "outside the reach of terrestrial cellular networks," Verizon says, and should come with same limitations as other satellite tools, like the need to position yourself so that there's no large structures or tree cover getting between your phone and the sky. It's also worth noting: the necessary changes "enabling this service start today and will continue over the next two weeks," so you might want to wait a bit longer before you start your next off-grid adventure.

Apple introduced Messages via Satellite alongside iOS 18, which doesn't rely on carriers for support, but should offer a good illustration of how Verizon's satellite messaging will work when it's fully available on the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25. 

The carrier is partnered with satellite provider AST SpaceMobile for its expanding list of satellite-connected services, and the companies have experimented with even more demanding communication options, like video calls. Competitors like T-Mobile already offer satellite messaging through a partnership with SpaceX's Starlink.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/verizon-now-supports-texting-via-satellite-on-the-pixel-9-and-galaxy-s25-193348606.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/verizon-now-supports-texting-via-satellite-on-the-pixel-9-and-galaxy-s25-193348606.html?src=rss
Created 4mo | Mar 19, 2025, 8:50:10 PM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Google DeepMind's Aeneas model can restore fragmented Latin text

At its best, AI is a tool, not an end result. It allows people to do their jobs better, rather than sending them or their colleagues

Jul 23, 2025, 9:50:16 PM | Engadget
FDA employees say the agency's Elsa generative AI hallucinates entire studies

Current and former members of the FDA told

Jul 23, 2025, 9:50:15 PM | Engadget
Sony is finally making it possible to pair a DualSense with more than one device

Sony is bringing a welcome quality-of-life

Jul 23, 2025, 9:50:14 PM | Engadget
What to expect at the Google Pixel 10 launch event on August 20

After largely focusing

Jul 23, 2025, 9:50:13 PM | Engadget
Microsoft backtracks on $80 The Outer Worlds 2 pricing

There's hope that the gaming industry won't follow Nintendo's lead with $80 pricing. (Well, at least not yet.) On Wednesday, Microsoft

Jul 23, 2025, 7:40:05 PM | Engadget
T-Mobile's Starlink satellite service is now available after months of testing

T-Mobile's satellite-to-mobile service is now officially

Jul 23, 2025, 5:20:31 PM | Engadget