News

A new partnership between Iridium, a satellite phone firm, and Qualcomm, a chip giant, will bring satellite connectivity to premium Android smartphones later this year. This means that in areas with no mobile coverage, handsets can connect with passing satellites to send and receive messages.

Qualcomm’s chips are commonly found in many Android-powered smartphones, and Apple announced a similar satellite feature for the iPhone 14 in September 2022. Currently, the service is only available for sending and receiving basic text messages in emergencies.

British smartphone maker Bullitt was the first to launch its own satellite service, beating Apple to the post. Their service is primarily for emergency use and will be rolled out in selected areas initially.

The new partnership between Iridium and Qualcomm will make the same satellite service accessible to millions more smartphone users, without being tied to a specific brand. However, it will be up to each smartphone manufacturer to enable the feature.

Iridium, the original satellite phone system, launched its first satellite into orbit in 1997 and completed a network refresh in 2019 with a total of 75 spacecraft. These satellites cover the entire globe and fly in low orbit, approximately 485 miles (780km) above the Earth. They can communicate with each other to pass data between them.

Qualcomm stated that initially, the new feature, called Snapdragon Satellite, will only be available in devices with premium chips and is unlikely to appear in budget devices. However, the feature will eventually be expanded to tablets, laptops, and even vehicles. It will also become a service that is not limited to emergency communication, although there will likely be associated fees.

Satellite connectivity is seen as the next frontier for mobile phones as it addresses the issue of “not-spots” or areas with no existing coverage, which are more common in rural or remote places. Services like Elon Musk’s Starlink have successfully used satellite broadband to provide broadband coverage. While satellite broadband is fast and reliable, it is generally more expensive than cable or fiber connections.

It is important to note that the use of this feature will be subject to local government regulations, as countries like India and China have restrictions on the use of satellite phones.

The post Satellite Connectivity Coming to Android Smartphones appeared first on satProviders.