With Snapdragon Satellite, Qualcomm is delivering satellite connectivity to Android. The service will be available on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones beginning in 2023.
Qualcomm has declared that it is delivering satellite connectivity to Android smartphones, following Apple’s lead. This feature is now available on Android phones because the company and Iridium, a major satellite communications provider, worked together on it.
Most Android handsets equipped with the most recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU will support the Snapdragon Satellite capability. According to Qualcomm, the technology found in the Snapdragon X70 modem of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset has made this possible.
With its most recent chip, Qualcomm has enabled the usage of Snapdragon Satellite on smartphones, but it will be up to individual OEMs and service providers to make the feature available on their particular devices. At the moment, we don’t know which OEMs will decide to add this feature, but we expect top companies like Samsung to do so with their next models.
Similar to how satellite connectivity functions on the most recent iPhone 14 series, Qualcomm claims that this functionality will allow users in remote areas or without regular cell service coverage to send and receive messages. Garmin and Qualcomm have partnered to offer users emergency response services.
According to Qualcomm, users will be able to use the satellite connectivity function to send their own SMS messages that they write themselves. Unlike the iPhone 14, which can only be used to send pre-written emails to emergency services via satellite connectivity,
Qualcomm has said that the Snapdragon Satellite feature may one day be used for purposes beyond its initial emergency communications application. The company has noticed that connectivity and SMS texting could be helpful in offshore, remote, and rural areas.
Furthermore, it appears that the technology will extend beyond smartphones. According to Qualcomm, Snapdragon Satellite can be utilized in IoT devices, computers, tablets, cars, and other mobile devices. Qualcomm continues by saying that manufacturers and app developers will be able to distinguish their goods and provide distinctively branded services through satellite connectivity.
