Samsung targets satellite-enabled smartphone chips after surprise iPhone 14 feature

Samsung on Thursday mentioned it has developed a system that may enable smartphone customers to ship knowledge by way of satellite tv for pc, intensifying the race amongst tech corporations to attach telephones to non-terrestrial networks.

New modem expertise from the South Korean client electronics large will allow two-way messaging, in addition to the sharing of photographs and movies. The knowledge is shipped to low-Earth orbit satellites in house and despatched again to Earth-based stations earlier than reaching finish customers.

Samsung hasn’t but launched its satellite tv for pc capabilities. However, the agency mentioned it plans to incorporate the expertise in its Exynos cell processors, hinting at a transfer to deliver the system to its Galaxy smartphones.

Samsung launched its flagship Galaxy S23 smartphone vary this month with out satellite tv for pc connectivity.

The transfer comes not lengthy after Apple introduced the launch of its iPhone 14 with a function that lets customers alert the emergency companies by pointing their telephones at a satellite tv for pc in house and selecting from a spread of points they’re going through.

Satellite telephones usually are not but a commercially mainstream expertise. However, system makers are betting on the untapped alternative of placing satellite tv for pc telephones within the arms of individuals in distant areas that fall exterior the attain of terrestrial telecoms infrastructure.

“With Samsung joining the party, emergency satellite messaging on premium smartphones is becoming a default feature,” Ben Wood, lead analyst at CCS Insight, informed CNBC.

“This underlines the massive influence that Apple has on feature adoption. For new technology like this, where Apple goes, others follow.”

Following Apple’s iPhone 14 launch in September, U.S. semiconductor large Qualcomm signed a cope with satellite tv for pc communications agency Iridium to deliver satellite-enabled chips to Android telephones. MediaTek, the Taiwanese chipmaking agency, is anticipated to showcase its personal cell satellite tv for pc expertise at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona subsequent week.

Samsung mentioned its expertise was consistent with third Generation Partnership Project requirements, that means it is going to “ensure interoperability and scalability among services offered by global telecom carriers, mobile device makers and chip companies.”

The system may also “eliminate the need for a separate high-power wireless antenna chip inside smartphones,” Samsung mentioned. Satellite telephones have been within the works for many years however haven’t but taken off as they sometimes require enormous antennae built-in straight into the system.

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