Where’s the Galaxy S23’s satellite connectivity, Samsung? - The Verge

When Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon Satellite tech that volition fto Android telephone makers vie with Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite, I was astir definite we’d spot the diagnostic connected Samsung’s then-upcoming S23 phones.

I mean, wherefore wouldn’t we? Qualcomm said the diagnostic would beryllium disposable this twelvemonth for phones utilizing its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and Samsung is launching the archetypal large Android flagship of 2023 with that processor — surely, it’ll physique successful this perchance life-saving functionality, similar analysts have been predicting for months.

And past Samsung’s Unpacked event came and went, with nary notation of outer messaging astatine all, and CNET posted an interview with TM Roh, president and caput of Samsung’s mobile acquisition business, wherever helium says this astir the tech: “when determination is the close timing, infrastructure and the exertion [is] ready, past of people for Samsung Galaxy, for our mobile division, we would besides actively see adopting this diagnostic arsenic well.”

I’m sorry, what beingness americium I in? Samsung, which has a storied past of cramming its phones afloat of features arsenic soon arsenic possible, is saying “we’ll hold until the tech is ready,” portion iPhone users are already utilizing it. (Okay, technically, a akin mentation of it; Qualcomm’s tech volition usage the Iridium outer network, portion Apple’s partnered with Globalstar. There are differences, but they some alteration you to nonstop messages erstwhile you’re not adjacent a compartment tower.)

Roh continued, saying that helium doesn’t judge being capable to connection via satellites “is the end-all oregon be-all of the solutions to guarantee bid of caput among users.”

This feels similar a precise unusual instrumentality to me. Sure, determination are perfectly limits to outer connectivity; it gets a batch much sketchy if you’re surrounded by trees, which is, you know, wherever a batch of outdoor recreation happens, and the accusation you nonstop tin beryllium rather limited.

And adjacent if you’re lasting nether an unfastened sky, sending a connection whitethorn necessitate doing a spot of a creation to get your telephone pointed astatine a outer — thing that’d beryllium hard if you were having a superior aesculapian emergency. But determination are besides plentifulness of exigency situations wherever those limitations wouldn’t beryllium a interest and wherever the tech could genuinely prevention someone’s life.

Since the iPhone 14 launched, we’ve seen at least five people rescued aft contacting exigency services via satellite, with each incidental prompting a slew of quality stories. Search and rescue operators person called the diagnostic a game-changer. It’s hard to ideate immoderate advertisement run much effectual than the sum Apple is getting, and Samsung is just... not competing here.

Remember Apple’s three-minute “Dear Apple” video from past fall’s event? It feels definite that the institution volition enactment up a akin reel for its adjacent mobile event, featuring radical who had outer connectivity prevention the day. It conscionable doesn’t consciousness similar Samsung to cede immoderate ground, nary substance however uncommon an occurrence is required. And I don’t deliberation radical talking astir however they were capable to instrumentality a representation with the Ultra’s 200MP camera, oregon however their S23’s artillery lasts a small longer than the S22’s did, volition marque for a precise compelling video.

I recognize I whitethorn beryllium over-indexed connected however overmuch the wide colonisation cares astir off-the-grid connection arsenic idiosyncratic who some covers connectivity for a surviving and spends a batch of clip distant from compartment sum doing dangerous things. (That past portion was a joke, mom.) But I bash deliberation this diagnostic is going to beryllium a notable lack connected spec expanse comparisons, particularly if different Android phones commencement releasing with Qualcomm’s tech, which it said should beryllium launching successful the 2nd fractional of 2023.

I recognize that mightiness look similar an evident mentation for wherefore the S23 seemingly can’t speech to satellites; Samsung didn’t see the diagnostic due to the fact that it’s not acceptable yet. But arsenic acold arsenic I tin tell, Qualcomm’s making usage of hardware that’s disposable today, truthful Samsung could’ve built that successful and said that outer messaging would beryllium coming via a bundle update aboriginal this year. (I’ve asked Qualcomm if that’s imaginable and volition fto you cognize if I perceive back.)

Also, remember, Roh didn’t accidental that Samsung couldn’t physique it successful — helium much oregon little said that it conscionable wasn’t funny close now. That’d beryllium a unusual effect if the tech genuinely isn’t disposable yet.

Even if Snapdragon Satellite is ne'er disposable connected the S23, determination is simply a accidental the phones volition beryllium capable to speech to satellites successful the future. Companies similar T-Mobile, SpaceX, AST, and Lynk are promising outer connectivity that uses mean 5G spectrum alternatively than dedicated hardware similar Apple and Qualcomm’s solutions. While those apt won’t beryllium commercially disposable for a while, it does astatine slightest mean that much radical could beryllium capable to get the connection retired successful aboriginal exigency situations. But Samsung is trying to merchantability phones now, and it conscionable gave immoderate of its biggest competitors a chiseled advantage.