The lack of marketing over the Galaxy S23 series’ ability to communicate with satellites was noticed by many. Samsung’s mobile chief recently provided some answers as to why this is the case, and the answer may disappoint some, as Apple’s biggest competitor in the smartphone space is lagging in this area.
It is still possible for satellite connectivity to become a reality thanks to the efforts of Qualcomm and Iridium Communications
Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite for the iPhone 14 is already active in the U.S., Canada, and some European countries, but the Galaxy S23 has yet to introduce this feature. Samsung’s mobile chief, TM Roh, sat down with CNET to provide some answers regarding the lack of satellite connectivity.
“When there is the right timing, infrastructure and the technology [is] ready, then of course for Samsung Galaxy, for our mobile division, we would also actively consider adopting this feature as well.”
However, it should be noted that with all Galaxy S23 models featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, there may be a possibility that these handsets will get satellite connectivity in the future. Thanks to Snapdragon Satellite, which brings orbital communication for smartphones featuring Qualcomm’s flagship SoC, was announced at CES earlier this year.
Similar to the approach Apple has taken, Qualcomm has partnered with Iridium Communications to bring two-way messaging to smartphones, with the feature expected to roll out in the second half of 2023 at an unconfirmed date. A part of the reason why the iPhone 14 gained Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite was due to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X65 5G modem. With the Galaxy S23 lineup, the Snapdragon X70 5G modem may also make this possible, but we will have to wait a few months for this confirmation.
Just because Samsung’s mobile head has clarified this confusion does not mean he will backtrack on this decision. After all, it is Qualcomm’s and Iridium Communication’s partnership that is expected to bring satellite communications to Android flagships, and Samsung may simply need to bring the feature through a future software update. Other than that, the company may not have added a specific component necessary for communicating with satellites on the Galaxy S23. In any case, we will update our readers in the future.
News Source: CNET
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