Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite Connectivity Is Coming to Smartphones in 2023
Reading Time: 3 minutesAt MWC 2023, Qualcomm announced that its own satellite connectivity tech will be on the way to Android devices packing Snapdragon chips later in 2023.
The iPhone 14 series released in 2022 came packing satellite connectivity for emergency situations. Not wanting to be left out, Qualcomm revealed that it was working on its own version of the tech back at CES 2023. But now at MWC 2023, the brand took the opportunity to reveal more about its emergency satellite tech.
Here, we’ll look at what we know about Snapdragon Satellite so far, and when we can expect it to arrive in smartphones.
Qualcomm Reveals Details About Its Snapdragon Satellite Tech
Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chips are packed with dedicated 5G modem systems that can connect to satellites. The brand takes advantage of a partnership with Iridium to access a constellation of satellites in orbit around the planet. These satellites work similarly to those from Starlink, but are accessed directly by smartphones rather than satellite routers. Thanks to a large number of satellites involved, Qualcomm is confident you’ll be covered from ‘pole to pole’.
The upcoming feature, dubbed Snapdragon Satellite, enables two-way communication over satellites, rather than cell towers or Wi-Fi networks as you’d usually use. What’s the point? It allows you to access connectivity (albeit rather basic) in far-off locations, typically off-the-grid. Provided you have an open view of the sky (away from buildings and other obstacles), you’ll be able to connect to the satellites. This means you could get emergency help while hiking over mountain ranges, for example.
Primarily, you’d find yourself using Snapdragon Satellite in emergency situations. It can, for example, send basic messages to emergency services, or share your location with saved contacts. Given the communication to satellites spans a greater distance, you won’t be able to send large messages, pictures, or other files. Luckily, Qualcomm has a clever way around this.
Rather than sending messages to emergency response centers like Apple’s emergency satellite feature, Snapdragon Satellite relies on a series of codes. Ever heard a cop shout some numbers down a walkie-talkie in a film? This tech works just like that–taking advantage of a number-based code system to avoid larger amounts of text.
When Should We Expect Snapdragon Satellite to Arrive?
Snapdragon Satellite will be available in Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon chipsets and 5G modems. That is to say, you won’t find it on any devices so far. But in the second half of the year, Qualcomm will begin packing the feature into new smartphones. It went on to tease that it would appear in phones from Honor, Xiaomi, Motorola, Nothing, Vivo, and Oppo.
Talking at MWC 2023, Qualcomm went further and detailed that we’ll most likely see Snapdragon Satellite make its first appearance around September. The latter half of the year is when smaller manufacturers release their devices in the Asian markets, so we’ll likely see it debut then.
As for more mainstream devices, things are a little unclear. Samsung’s main flagships for 2023 are already out, so have missed out on Snapdragon Satellite. But, the brand usually reveals its foldable line-up in August or September, so those devices could be likely contenders. It’s also unclear whether the Pixels will come with Qualcomm’s new satellite feature, or whether Google is working on its own implementation with its Tensor chipsets.
What is certain is that Snapdragon Satellite is on the way. Devices will start appearing with the feature in 2023, and users will be able to take advantage of the feature in emergency situations. Whether a global roll-out happens at first remains to be seen, so Qualcomm may roll the feature out in stages.
Qualcomm’s Keeping an Eye on the Sky at MWC 2023
Qualcomm’s reveal of Snapdragon Satellite at MWC 2023 has us looking forward to upcoming Android devices. With the tech inside, these devices can boast extra life-saving features that could come in handy in an emergency.
But it’s not the only satellite announcement from MWC 2023. And there were plenty more gadgets showcased at the tech exhibition.
Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/snapdragon-satellite-coming-2023/
Ref: makeuseof
MediaDownloader.net -> Free Online Video Downloader, Download Any Video From YouTube, VK, Vimeo, Twitter, Twitch, Tumblr, Tiktok, Telegram, TED, Streamable, Soundcloud, Snapchat, Share, Rumble, Reddit, PuhuTV, Pinterest, Periscope, Ok.ru, MxTakatak, Mixcloud, Mashable, LinkedIn, Likee, Kwai, Izlesene, Instagram, Imgur, IMDB, Ifunny, Gaana, Flickr, Febspot, Facebook, ESPN, Douyin, Dailymotion, Buzzfeed, BluTV, Blogger, Bitchute, Bilibili, Bandcamp, Akıllı, 9GAG