Samsung has doubled down on two of its most distinctive Galaxy features, confirming that the new Galaxy S26 series now supports satellite communication and that the S Pen stylus is not going anywhere, with a significant upgrade already in development.

The Korean tech giant this week confirmed that the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra all support satellite-based messaging, data services and emergency assistance when traditional mobile networks are unavailable.

While Samsung had previously enabled satellite features on select devices, the company had not explicitly confirmed support for the S26 lineup at launch.

Satellite connectivity is rolling out in partnership with major carriers across North America, Europe and Japan. In the US, Verizon offers eSOS and text services on recent Galaxy flagships, while T-Mobile supports satellite-based text and data via its Starlink collaboration.

European partnerships include Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, with trials set to begin in Spain. In Japan, KDDI and other carriers are backing satellite text, data and emergency alert services on supported Galaxy devices.

Although Samsung has not confirmed Australian carrier partnerships, the global push signals satellite connectivity is becoming core infrastructure for premium smartphones, particularly as AI-driven services demand always-on connections.

“As satellite connectivity becomes an important part of the mobile landscape, we are committed to ensuring Galaxy users have reliable access to communication, especially when they need it most,” said Won-Joon Choi, President and COO of Samsung’s Mobile eXperience (MX) Business.

Meanwhile, Samsung has quashed rumours that the S Pen is being phased out.

After dropping Bluetooth features from last year’s Galaxy S25 Ultra stylus, some speculated the accessory’s future was uncertain.

Choi confirmed the S Pen remains a “core technology”, adding that Samsung is developing “a more advanced technology within S Pen” tied to a new display structure that reduces the internal “penalty” of housing the stylus – a reference to battery and hardware trade-offs.

The move suggests Samsung is rethinking how the S Pen integrates at a hardware level, potentially paving the way for thinner devices or improved battery capacity in future Galaxy Ultra models.