Satellite texting plan by Qualcomm falls through due to lack of interest from phone makers
2 min read
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite project, which aimed to enable Android users to send texts via satellite without cell service, has been discontinued, according to recent reports. The project, which was in partnership with satellite phone maker Iridium, faced a lack of adoption by smartphone manufacturers, leading Qualcomm to end the partnership.
Smartphone manufacturers have expressed a preference for standards-based solutions for satellite connectivity, which might have played a part in the lack of adoption for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite project. Additionally, the cost of implementing satellite texting technology may have deterred some manufacturers from including it in their devices.
However, Qualcomm’s decision to discontinue the project now allows Iridium to work directly with smartphone makers, mobile OS developers, and other chipmakers. This new freedom could potentially lead to more innovative and cost-effective solutions for satellite connectivity in smartphones.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, tech giant Apple has expanded its emergency SOS feature in the latest iPhone 15 lineup by integrating crash detection. The new feature automatically detects car accidents and sends alerts to emergency contacts with the user’s location information. This integration further enhances user safety and emergency response capabilities in Apple’s devices.
While Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite project may have faced challenges in gaining traction, Apple’s focus on improving emergency response features in its devices demonstrates the tech giant’s commitment to user safety. As smartphone technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how satellite connectivity and emergency features further shape the landscape of mobile devices.
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