Samsung confirmed that eight Galaxy devices will support SoftBank Starlink Direct in Japan. It is a satellite-to-smartphone service launching April 10, 2026.

Without installing any additional apps or paying a fee, eight Samsung phones gained support for SoftBank Starlink Direct in Japan, with satellite connectivity baked into plans that SoftBank and Y!mobile customers already pay for.

The eligible devices are the Galaxy S26, S26+, S26 Ultra, S25, S25 Ultra, Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and A25 5G. The last one is worth pausing on; it sits at the budget end of Samsung’s lineup, and it’s sitting in the same satellite support list as the S26 Ultra.

You need to be running a SoftBank SIM, a Y!mobile SIM, or LINEMO.

What can you do with it?

• Text messages
• Certain emergency alerts, including earthquake warnings
• Data on supported apps

Voice calls aren’t supported. Emergency calls aren’t either, which feels like the one gap that actually matters. The service only activates outside SoftBank’s ground-based coverage zones. Also, it requires a clear line of sight to the satellite above.

Japan has a specific problem that makes satellite direct-to-device genuinely urgent. Earthquakes don’t just kill people; they destroy towers, cut fiber, and leave entire regions without any communication infrastructure for days.

SoftBank has been aggressive about Starlink integration. Pairing that with Samsung’s installed base is the right move. Samsung dominates premium Android smartphone sales in Japan in a way it doesn’t in every market.

Samsung confirmed it plans to bring satellite support to more devices over time.

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