Qualcomm has announced that several smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Motorola, Nothing, and Honor, will integrate satellite communication capabilities into their devices. However, no details were provided regarding which devices will have these features first, nor when they will be launched.
Qualcomm partnered with satellite service provider Iridium to introduce its Snapdragon Satellite technology at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last month. This solution allows smartphones to have two-way texting and other messaging applications in emergency situations, using satellites.
Snapdragon Satellite will be available in upcoming RF modems and multiple models of 8 and 4 series processors for smartphones, according to the chipmaker. Francesco Grilli, Qualcomm’s VP for product management, stated that incorporating Snapdragon Satellite into next-generation devices would enable partners to provide satellite messaging capabilities, allowing users worldwide to communicate outdoors with emergency services, as well as family and friends.
Last year, Apple introduced satellite-based emergency communication features with the iPhone 14 series in the US and Canada, later expanding to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK through Globestar’s satellite network. Samsung also announced its own satellite tech last week, with plans to include it in a future smartphone.
Additionally, British smartphone manufacturer Bullitt announced a rugged smartphone with satellite connectivity a few days before MWC, and Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek will showcase its satellite connectivity solution for smartphones at the event. This paves the way for upcoming smartphones to have emergency satellite communication features, particularly in remote areas where network connectivity is unreliable.
