A satellite-based messaging and media service from Samsung

February 24, 2023

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With the iPhone 14 series, Apple has implemented a new feature known as “Emergency SOS Via Satellite,” which has been gaining a lot of traction. We hear almost every day stories about people’sabout people’s lives being saved by this feature, and we are amazed by how often this happens. As a result, users are more likely to choose the iPhone when they need to buy a new phone in the near future. This feature is also being incorporated into other smartphones, which do not want to lose their users because they do not want to lose them. Among the companies that recently announced their plans to integrate Emergency SOS into their phones, Huawei is one such company. It has now been announced that Samsung will be taking the same step on the Android front as well. Here are the details…

Samsung debuts satellite connectivity for smartphones using the Pixel 7’s modem

After Apple’s iPhone 14 series made a big splash in the satellite connectivity arena for smartphones, Samsung has announced its entry into the same arena. The company, however, has gone above and beyond what Apple offers, by allowing users to send full messages, pictures, and even videos via satellite, rather than just short messages. Data can be sent from the smartphone to the satellites using this technology, and then transmitted back down to the ground stations on the way to the intended recipient or emergency services, using 5G NTN (non-terrestrial networks) to communicate.

As a result of Samsung’s Exynos 5300 modem, which also powers Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, it’s possible to support satellite connectivity using this technology. The 5G NTN standard-based satellite technology has been developed and simulated on top of this modem by Samsung, providing a proof of concept for 5G satellite technology. In spite of this, this functionality will not be available in the current Google phones, as Samsung intends to incorporate it into future versions of its Exynos modems in the near future.

Earlier this month, Samsung announced that it would hold off on bringing satellite connectivity to its own smartphones until the technology was mature enough for such a move to be feasible. Exynos’ announcement is unfortunate timing for Samsung’s own smartphones, as they will be switching to solely relying on Qualcomm chips from now on for their flagships on a global scale. There has been a lot of discussion about Qualcomm’s version of satellite connectivity recently, but so far it doesn’t seem to be available on any devices.

With satellite connectivity poised to become one of the newest and most exciting features of smartphones, people will be able to remain connected even when there is no traditional cellular coverage in areas that are otherwise not covered. In emergency situations or areas where traditional communication methods are not available, it may be particularly helpful to have the capability of sending full messages, pictures, and videos via satellite. In light of Samsung’s entry into this market, it remains to be seen how this technology will evolve and how it will be adopted by consumers in the future.