Qualcomm's Snapdragon Satellite will let Android phones text off the grid - Engadget

Last year, Apple introduced Emergency SOS, which allows the iPhone 14 to link to satellites to nonstop exigency calls and texts. Now, Qualcomm has unveiled its ain outer messaging features for Android phones. It’s called Snapdragon Satellite, and it volition let devices equipped with the company’s X70 modems to link to satellites successful bid to nonstop messages erstwhile nary cellular awesome is available.

The feature, which is expected to beryllium disposable connected phones opening successful the 2nd fractional of 2023, is the effect of a concern with longtime outer telephone shaper Iridium. Thanks to the partnership, Android phones equipped with the X70 modem and Qualcomm’s SOC volition beryllium capable to link to Iridium's outer web for off-grid texting successful some exigency and non-emergency situations.

As with overmuch of Qualcomm’s tech, precisely however these features volition look and consciousness volition mostly beryllium determined by the idiosyncratic telephone makers. Device makers volition person sizeable flexibility successful presumption of however they instrumentality outer messaging, peculiarly for person-to-person texts. But portion we don’t cognize precisely however it volition look erstwhile it launches, Qualcomm offered an aboriginal look astatine the exertion astatine CES, which provided a beauteous bully thought of what to expect successful presumption of functionality.

Karissa Bell / Engadget

As with Apple’s Emergency SOS, you’ll request to beryllium extracurricular with a wide presumption of the entity successful bid to usage outer messaging. When enabled, an on-screen connection volition connection guidance for wherever to constituent your instrumentality successful bid to link to a satellite.

The demo we saw wasn’t precisely an off-grid location. The godforsaken campground astir 30 minutes distant from the Las Vegas Strip whitethorn person looked the part, but it had afloat 5G work during our visit. However, Qualcomm reps demonstrated the process for connecting to satellites and it lone took a fewer seconds to determination the telephone into position. And they claimed connecting successful a existent off-grid situation should beryllium astir arsenic seamless.

Once connected to a satellite, the demo devices were capable to nonstop substance messages to a preset whitelist of contacts. Qualcomm says that diagnostic volition stay successful spot to guarantee spam texts won't clog up the outer networks. However, the institution noted that OEMs could marque the messaging consciousness much similar a accepted messaging app than the demo interface we previewed. 

There are a fewer different limitations compared with modular messaging apps. Satellite messages are constricted to 140 bytes oregon astir 160 characters, making them much similar an old-school SMS than what you’d expect with modern apps. And you can’t nonstop photos oregon videos via satellite.

Karissa Bell / Engadget

It’s besides worthy noting that dissimilar Apple’s Emergency SOS, Qualcomm intends Snapdragon Satellite to beryllium utilized for non-emergency messaging arsenic well. That could marque the Android mentation a small much utile arsenic you could usage outer messaging to enactment successful interaction with household and friends successful areas wherever you’d usually beryllium retired of reach. However, determination volition apt beryllium further charges associated with non-emergency texts truthful you’ll astir apt inactive privation to mean your usage of the feature. (Qualcomm declined to speculate connected however overmuch these messages mightiness cost, but it seems harmless to presume these messages volition beryllium costlier than a emblematic SMS.)

Also, dissimilar Apple’s outer connection features, which besides allows radical to marque exigency dependable calls, Snapdragon Satellite lone allows for exigency texts, not calls. For genuinely urgent situations, the institution has partnered with Garmin, which makes a satellite-based exigency connection instrumentality of its ain called inReach. That means exigency texts volition beryllium routed to the aforesaid squad that handles SOS calls from inReach devices.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get a batch of specifics astir erstwhile we’ll spot phones with Snapdragon Satellite deed shelves, oregon however galore devices could person these capabilities. For now, Samsung says it expects to spot satellite-ready phones from “multiple” OEMs starting successful the 2nd fractional of 2023. At the aforesaid time, that doesn’t mean the features are guaranteed for each Android phones with an X70 modem and Qualcomm SOC. According to Qualcomm, that’s due to the fact that X70-equipped phones launching earlier the 2nd fractional of the twelvemonth don’t person each the indispensable hardware to enactment Snapdragon Satellite connectivity.

But, present that we cognize the hardware requirements, successful the coming months we should statesman to get a amended thought of which devices volition person the outer messaging capabilities.