The iPhone 14’s standout feature when it was revealed by Apple last autumn was a satellite-based communication service for emergency calls outside the range of wireless networks. This week at CES, Qualcomm made plans to add comparable features to the next Android phones.
In some regions, starting in the second half of this year, premium Android handsets running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform will be able to connect to a satellite-based two-way messaging system. At CES 2023, the business announced it this week.
Snapdragon Satellite from Qualcomm is a reaction to Apple’s Emergency SOS feature, which was introduced with the iPhone 14 last year.
Users of the iPhone 14 going outside the usual wireless network range can send their whereabouts if they get lost using a network of satellites and ground relay stations that Apple helps fund.
Users are instructed to point their phones at a satellite so that it can transfer information to a ground station and the necessary emergency services.
However, freshly purchased iPhones come with a complimentary two-year subscription to Emergency SOS. Whether consumers will have to pay for Snapdragon Satellite is unclear.
Last summer, T-Mobile unveiled a comparable Starlink function that supported SMS, MMS, and compatible messaging apps.
The Iridium satellite constellation’s weather-resistant L-band spectrum will be used in conjunction with Snapdragon Satellite’s Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems.
The L and S-band, which the ITU Radio Regulations authorized for mobile satellite communication, are used by Apple’s system.
As soon as they become available, 5G non-terrestrial networks will be supported by Qualcomm’s equivalent.
Qualcomm plans to employ Snapdragon Satellite for SMS texting and other leisure and work-related applications in addition to emergency services, enabling OEMs and outside developers to create software utilizing it.
In the future, gadgets other than smartphones, such as tablets, computers, cars, and IoT devices, will support two-way communication.
Last November, Qualcomm unveiled Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a new silicon platform that would power the newest premium Android phones.
A 3.2GHz core, four 2.8GHz cores, and three 2.0GHz cores make up SoC’s 4nm Kryo CPU.
Vulkan 1.3, OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0 FP, Unreal Engine 5, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing are all supported by the Adreno GPU.
The Xiaomi 13 series, Moto X40, and Vivo X90 Pro+ are some of the models that now come with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and additional models from Asus, OnePlus, and Sony are on the way.
Qualcomm has not specifically stated which phones will receive Snapdragon Satellite first.
To read our blog on “Qualcomm vice president thinks cellphones can equal the quality of DSLR cameras,” click here.
