Engadget
For the iPhone 14, Apple launched last yearemergency satellite messageToday, Qualcomm has finally prepared a corresponding solution for the Android flagship.They officially announced at CES Snapdragon Satellite, which allows devices equipped with a Snapdragon X70 modem to connect to a satellite, so that users can send and receive messages even when there is no cellular signal.According to reports, this program is developed by Qualcomm and Iridium Created together, products equipped with it are expected to debut in the second half of 2023.
The Snapdragon Satellite provides “true global coverage from the South Pole to the North Pole,” supporting two-way emergency messaging, SMS and other messaging applications. Unlike Apple’s emergency restrictions, Qualcomm’s solution can also be used in non-emergency situations. Users can use the technology to keep in touch with relatives and friends in areas with poor reception, although this part of the service may eventually charge additional fees. In addition, Snapdragon Satellite will use Iridium’s L-band spectrum (which can better prevent weather interference) to achieve uplink and downlink, and will hand over the SOS emergency response service to Garmin. At this point, it also has some differences with Apple’s plan. different.
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Like many other technologies from Qualcomm, it is up to each manufacturer to decide how the Snapdragon Satellite will ultimately appear on a commercially available mobile phone. According to Qualcomm’s demonstration during CES, it is similar to Apple’s solution. After the user opens the corresponding app in a location where they can see the clear sky outdoors, a prompt will appear on the screen telling you which direction to point the phone in order to connect to the satellite. It is worth mentioning that the on-site demonstration participated by colleagues at the main station was not conducted in a place where the network was completely disconnected. It took a few seconds for Qualcomm representatives to connect the device to the satellite when the phone still had a 5G signal, but they also said that the Snapdragon Satellite was able to complete the connection almost seamlessly in locations where there was no real signal.
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After attaching to the satellite, the demo device begins sending text messages (with a length limit of 140 bytes or approximately 160 characters) to a preset white list of contacts. Qualcomm said this setting will be retained on actual products to ensure that spam does not clog the satellite network. But they also point out that OEMs may make the interface more like a traditional messaging app on the devices people end up buying.