New Android phone owners will have a much easier time getting out of the emergency later this year.
At CES 2023, Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon Satellite. It’s a new initiative by mobilehi chipmaker to bring satellite messaging to “next-generation premium Android smartphones,” according to a press release. Qualcomm has partnered with Iridium, a company that already has a communications satellite array in low orbit, on this project.
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So what does all of this actually mean? Basically, if you buy a new Android phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip later this year (like the OnePlus 11 or Samsung Galaxy S23), you’ll be able to send two-way text messages using satellites. This is useful in theory if you are outside a cell range and need to tell someone where you are.
Qualcomm’s presentation showed that you should point your phone at the sky while doing so, but that’s not the case. Apple’s Emergency SOS The feature, launched last year, isn’t entirely limited to emergencies and doesn’t just call 911. The company also says this will provide global “pole to pole” coverage, so hopefully there won’t be many regions. Where this feature does not work.
It’s not a replacement for 5G, but it’s a pinch for Android users.
