What do you want to know
- Samsung has apparently worked on bringing satellite connectivity to the Galaxy S23.
- The company appears to be working with Iridium, potentially using 66 of its low-orbit satellites to operate it.
- Samsung may be looking to move ahead of the Android 14 release which has been confirmed to support satellite connectivity for a host of devices.
It seems that Samsung wants to equip the next flagship Galaxy phone with satellite communication.
According to South Korean publication EtNews, Samsung Electronics has created the technology for the upcoming Galaxy S23 devices to provide satellite connectivity.
Samsung appears to be working with Iridium as its goal is to provide voice and data communications services using 66 low-orbit communications satellites. Apparently, Samsung’s goal with its satellite communication has been to allow users to use this technology to transmit data, such as text, but also images.
Samsung has reportedly been working on this technology for the past couple of years, with its biggest challenge being making the phone’s antennae small enough to fit inside.
Chinese brand Huawei launched the Mate 50 Pro in September, which featured satellite communication. The phone supports this type of connectivity using the Chinese Beidou network, allowing users to send their texts through it. Apple has also notably brought this same type of communication support to its iPhone 14.
If we want to look ahead, Samsung looking to dive into the satellite communications space could be seen as a way to get ahead of the inevitable Android 14 release. A Google executive has already confirmed that Android 14 will support direct satellite connectivity.
The confirmation follows a new partnership between T-Mobile and SpaceX, with the two companies looking to make satellite connectivity possible on a host of devices. The partnership seeks to help alleviate any dead zones users may experience in their coverage, as connectivity will initially support SMS, MMS, some messaging apps and possibly even video.
The companies aren’t looking to beta test this new feature until late 2023. Samsung is also likely to launch the Galaxy S23 series in 2023, where we’ll no doubt learn more about this new technology.