Qualcomm and satellite phone company Iridium have struck a deal to bring satellite connectivity to Android smartphones.
Post Date – 12:15 AM, Wednesday – 1/11/23
Remember when everyone was walking around with big, bulky satellite phones? Wired headphones, matching frequencies, and “overs” are all a fad. Then as technology got more sophisticated, we started using palm-sized phones. But guess what; our far behind satellite technology will help us out.
Qualcomm has struck a deal with Iridium, the satellite phone company that makes the chips that go into nearly every Android phone, to provide satellite connectivity for Android smartphones.
Here’s how it works. This feature will allow you to communicate using passing satellites when you don’t have mobile coverage and can’t send or receive messages.
Unlike our mobile towers, which only cover specific locations, satellites cover the entire planet. According to reports, the satellites expected to be used here will fly in a low orbit about 780 kilometers from the earth. When you send a message, these groups of satellites that can communicate with each other will deliver your message.
Although when Apple announced the iPhone 14’s satellite-like feature last September, it was limited to some iPhone users. When a Qualcomm feature goes live, it will be available to millions of other people.
The feature, dubbed “Snapdragon Satellite,” is expected to be available to select devices first, before rolling out to all Android phones. However, enabling the feature is up to phone manufacturers and governments to allow it.
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– Epsita Gunti with institutional input
