{"id":28431,"date":"2023-01-07T15:11:43","date_gmt":"2023-01-07T15:11:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/07\/qualcomm-to-bring-apples-satellite-messaging-feature-to-android-devices\/"},"modified":"2023-01-07T15:11:43","modified_gmt":"2023-01-07T15:11:43","slug":"qualcomm-to-bring-apples-satellite-messaging-feature-to-android-devices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/07\/qualcomm-to-bring-apples-satellite-messaging-feature-to-android-devices\/","title":{"rendered":"Qualcomm to bring Apple’s satellite messaging feature to Android devices"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Something to look forward to:<\/strong> When Apple unveiled the iPhone 14 last fall, its signature feature was a satellite-based communication service for emergency calls beyond the reach of wireless networks. At CES this week, Qualcomm announced plans to bring similar functionality to future Android phones. <\/p>\n

Premium Android smartphones based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform will gain access to a satellite-based two-way messaging system in certain regions starting in the second half of this year. The company made the announcement<\/a> this week at CES 2023.<\/p>\n

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite is a response to the Emergency SOS system Apple launched last year for the iPhone 14. Through a network of satellites and ground relay stations Apple helped fund<\/a>, iPhone 14 users traveling outside traditional wireless network range can transmit their locations if they become lost.<\/p>\n

The system works by directing users to point their phones toward a satellite which will then relay to a ground station and the appropriate emergency services. Emergency SOS is paid, but newly purchased iPhones include a free two-year subscription. It isn’t clear whether users will need to pay for Snapdragon Satellite. T-Mobile announced<\/a> a similar feature using Starlink last summer, supporting SMS, MMS, and participating messaging apps.<\/p>\n

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Snapdragon Satellite will use Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems in concert with the Iridium satellite constellation’s weather-resistant L-band spectrum. Apple’s system uses the L and S-band, which ITU Radio Regulations designated for mobile satellite communication. The Qualcomm counterpart will support 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks as they become available.<\/p>\n

In addition to emergency services, Qualcomm intends to use Snapdragon Satellite for SMS texting and other recreational and professional applications, allowing OEMs and third-party developers to build software leveraging it. The two-way communication system will eventually come to devices other than smartphones, like tablets, laptops, vehicles, and IoT devices.<\/p>\n

Qualcomm revealed<\/a> Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 last November as a new chip platform to power the latest flagship Android phones. The SoC’s 4nm-based Kryo CPU features a 3.2GHz core, four 2.8GHz cores, and three 2.0GHz cores. The Adreno GPU supports Vulkan 1.3, OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0 FP, Unreal Engine 5, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing.<\/p>\n

Currently-available models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 include the Xiaomi 13 series, Moto X40, and Vivo X90 Pro+, while more are on the way from Asus, OnePlus, and Sony. Qualcomm hasn’t revealed precisely which phones would first receive Snapdragon Satellite.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n