After Apple, Samsung may be next in line to introduce an Emergency SOS via satellite feature to its Galaxy lineup of smartphones. For the time being, it is likely that the Korean giant will keep satellite connectivity limited to its high-end phone family.
No Word on Which Satellite Company Samsung Aims to Partner With to Bring Orbital Connectivity to Future Galaxy Smartphones
Before Apple, Huawei introduced satellite connectivity to its smartphones, but the feature is limited to China. Technically, Samsung would be the third smartphone vendor to introduce this form of connectivity to customers. Unfortunately, Ricciolo did not specify in his tweet on which Galaxy model would get this option, nor did he mention what it would be called.
For starters, we do not think that Samsung will name it Emergency SOS via satellite since the company will want some differentiation from Apple’s own naming scheme. Secondly, if the feature is indeed in the works, it could launch for the Galaxy S23 series only, and just like Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite, it could offer basic functionality such as sending messages to emergency services when you are in a ‘hairy’ situation.
samsung to jump the " SOS satellite S*** " bandwagon .. #next
— Ricciolo (@Ricciolo1) September 15, 2022
The tweet does not mention how Samsung will accomplish this. To give a smartphone access to a satellite, it needs to have a compatible modem, like how the Snapdragon X65 enables compatibility for the entire iPhone 14 range. Since Samsung will reportedly launch the Galaxy S23 range with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 only, all models could feature Qualcomm’s cutting-edge Snapdragon X70 5G modem, which is the successor to the Snapdragon X65 and offers satellite connectivity too.
Even if all of that is taken care of, we have not yet addressed the elephant in the room; satellite launches. Like Apple partnering with Globalstar, which will allocate 85 percent of its current and future network capacity to support iPhone 14 models, and likely future iPhones that support satellite connectivity, it is not confirmed who Samsung will join forces with to make this possible. All we can tell our readers is to treat this information with a pinch of salt for now, and we will be back with more updates.
If you want to learn more about Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature, we have published detailed information on how it works, so check it out when you get the time.
News Source: Ricciolo
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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