Satellite calling in snapdragon processor phones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Satellite
Qualcomm rolls out its own satellite calling feature in snapdragon processor phones with Qualcomm Snapdragon satellite for Android phones.
Satellite Calling
The year 2022 came with lot of new updates and features. Apple and many other flagship companies came up with new innovations and technologies. Last year, Apple came forward with SOS messaging feature in iPhone 14 for emergency messages and calls using satellites.
Likewise, Qualcomm, a technology company has unveiled its own satellite feature for communication acknowledged as ‘Snapdragon Satellite’.
However, this feature is said to be arriving on selected Android phones this year.
X70 Modem
Qualcomm’s X70 Modem is indispensable for satellite calling and messaging. Android phones will be able to connect to satellites in order to send messages and make calls without a cellular network.
Unlike Apple’s SOS emergency calling and messaging, Qualcomm focuses on both emergency and non-emergency situations.
Implementation
In order to implement this and make this happen, Qualcomm partnered with satellite phone maker Iridium. Phones with Qualcomm’s X70 modems that also use Qualcomm’s SOC will be able to connect to Iridium satellites in order to send emergency and person-to-person messages.
How to connect
An on-screen message will show you the direction to point your phone in order to find and connect with a satellite. You will need to be outside with a clear view of the sky in order to connect.
Individual phone manufacturers will have the power to process and manage how everything will come together.
Qualcomm says phone makers will have a lot of flexibility in terms of how they enable person-to-person messages with the goal of achieving a look and feel of a traditional messaging app.
Limited texts
Compared with typical messaging apps, satellite messages are very limited and are more like old-school SMS messages with a limit of 140 bytes or about 160 characters.
So, you will be able to send only limited bytes of texts with no images or videos. Moreover, sending the message should only take about 10 seconds or less depending on your location.
For non-emergency scenarios, there will likely be additional fees associated with satellite messaging but it could still be pretty useful to have a way to communicate even if you’re way off the grid.
For True emergencies, Qualcomm has partnered with Garmin which makes its own emergency satellite communication device called inReach. Emergency messages set with Snapdragon Satellite will direct to the same team that handles SOS calls from inReach devices.
While there are several X70-equipped phones expected in the first half of the year, those devices aren’t expected to have satellite capabilities. So, it could still be several more months before the Snapdragon Satellite is readily available.
