On October 14th， a significant announcement came from Kuai Technology: Samsung， in collaboration with China Telecom， has unveiled the “Heart to the World” Samsung W26 foldable smartphone， with prices starting at 16，999 yuan.
According to China Telecom’s satellite public account， the Samsung W26 marks a pioneering step as the first model in its series to fully standardize direct satellite connectivity with the Tiantong satellite system across all configurations.
The Samsung W26 facilitates Tiantong satellite voice calls and SMS services， ensuring users can maintain communication with the outside world via satellite， even in environments lacking terrestrial network coverage， such as remote outdoor locations.
Samsung states that this feature provides critical communication security for professionals frequently engaged in fieldwork， outdoor adventure enthusiasts， and business individuals who prioritize emergency preparedness and safety.
Notably， this new device launch also includes a comprehensive service package. Purchasers will receive a Tiantong satellite communication package valued at 1，000 yuan. This package includes one year of direct satellite connectivity， along with 300 minutes of satellite calls and 100 satellite SMS messages.
This advancement is built upon China’s independently developed Tiantong satellite communication system. On September 8， 2023， China Telecom pioneered the direct-to-satellite mobile service globally.
As of now， a total of seven major mobile phone manufacturers – Huawei， Honor， Xiaomi， OPPO， vivo， ZTE， and Samsung – have collectively released 37 smartphone models equipped with direct Tiantong satellite functionality. These devices have achieved cumulative sales exceeding 24 million units.
