Qualcomm to now bring satellite tech to android phones

Earlier this fall, Apple launched the iPhone 14. One of its notable features was the satellite-based communication feature in case of emergency calls if you are out of your network zone. Qualcomm, the company which provided the feature, announced earlier this month at CES that it will bring the same feature to android phones and devices.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite was a response to Apple’s Emergency SOS system. It helped finance this function over a chain of satellites and ground terminals. iPhone 14 consumers who cannot access their wireless network range can now send their location through this function in cases of emergencies.

From the second half of 2023, select android mobiles which are based on the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform will attain access to the satellite-powered two-way messaging system in a few regions.

Just like Apple’s Emergency SOS, the mobile user needs to point towards a satellite that is directed to them through the phone. The user should make sure he/she is in an open space in order to connect with the satellite. This feature will be available for emergency as well as non-emergency situations. To make this happen, Qualcomm has partnered with a satellite phone manufacturer Iridium.

The present smartphone models with the Snapdragon 8 gen 2 include the Vivo X90 Pro and the Xiaomi series, and more are in line from OnePlus, Asus, and Sony.