Samsung is reported to be working on its own version of satellite based communication support for the upcoming Galaxy S23 series of flagship phones. This comes on the back of Apple offering something similar on the iPhone 14. The feature is referred to as the Emergency SOS wherein users of the iPhone 14 series of phones are able to send an SOS message in an emergency situation. This is done via satellite communication and will work even if there is no cellular link available.
Samsung though is reported to be working on a more advanced version of the same which will debut on the Galaxy S23. According to what a tipster identified as Alvin had to share on Twitter, Samsung has tied up with the U.S.-based Iridium Communications which has 66 active satellites keeping an eye on earth. Also, a good thing about the Iridium satellites is that they support both voice based and data based communications. This can turn out to be a major differentiator for the Galaxy S23 compared to the iPhone 14 which is only able to support text-based communications.
Also, tying up with Iridium Communications makes sense for Samsung given how the company provides extensive coverage over the entire US. And the United States happens to be the largest market in the world for smartphones so far as revenue generation is concerned. Also, the fact that Iridium’s satellites offer both voice and data support, this should act as an added incentive for smartphone buyers to opt for the Samsung flagship offering on top of the iPhone 14. Apple, on its part, is offering satellite communication on the iPhone 14 thanks to a partnership with Globalstar.
The Galaxy S23 is also expected to come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which features an integrated Snapdragon X70 5G modem. Experts believe the modem is able to support satellite communication. The iPhone 14, on the other hand, features a Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 modem, the one component that allows for direct communication with the satellite for transmitting text messages.
However, with the iPhone 14, there is usually a delay of a few seconds at least for the text message to be transmitted. This is believed normal considering the vast distances that the message has to travel before it reaches its destination. It remains to be seen if the Galaxy S23 can cut short the transmittance rate, more so if it’s a voice message that is sent across, or if there is going to be a longer delay involved.
