Now Premium Android Phones will get the Satellite connectivity; read how

Key Takeaways:

• It suggests that mobile devices can send and receive messages in places without mobile coverage by corresponding with passing satellites.
• Through the new partnership, millions more smartphone users can access the same service without being tied to a particular brand.
• Many services, including Elon Musk’s Starlink, have already been successfully used to offer broadband coverage.

Later this year, premium Android smartphones with satellite connectivity will be available thanks to a new partnership among chip giant Qualcomm and satellite phone company Iridium.

It implies that mobile devices can communicate with passing satellites to send and receive messages in areas without mobile coverage.

Many smartphones running Android contain Qualcomm chips.

In September 2022, Apple disclosed a satellite feature for the iPhone 14.

Only basic text messages can be sent and received in an emergency using the service.

Bullitt, a British smartphone manufacturer, launched its satellite service first, ahead of Apple. When first introduced, it will be available in a few areas and for emergency use.

Millions more smartphone users will be able to access the same service through the new partnership without being restricted to a single brand. Still, it will be up to the manufacturer to make it available.

The first satellite for the Iridium satellite phone network was launched into orbit in 1997. In 2019, it finished updating its 75-spacecraft network.

Groups of satellites can communicate with one another and pass information between them as they orbit the Earth at a low altitude of 485 miles (780 km). The satellites cover the entire planet.

According to Qualcomm, the newly introduced feature, known as Snapdragon Satellite, will initially only be included in its premium chips and is therefore not likely to be used in low-cost devices.

But eventually, it will be extended to tablets, laptops, and even cars, and it will become a service that is not only for emergency communication – although there may be a charge for this.

Because it addresses the issue of “not-spots” or locations with no existing coverage, satellite connectivity is widely regarded as the next step for mobile phones. In rural or isolated areas, these are more prevalent.

Many services, including Elon Musk’s Starlink, have already successfully implemented it to provide broadband coverage.

While faster and generally more dependable than cable or fibre connections, satellite broadband is more expensive.

Due to the use of satellite phones being prohibited in some nations, such as China and India, the use of the feature will be governed by local government regulations.