Android smartphone users will get satellite connectivity feature late, this is the big reason behind it

Android smartphone users will have to wait for a long time for satellite-based emergency communication. US-based chipmaker Qualcomm's partnership with Iridium has reportedly ended. Qualcomm has announced Snapdragon Satellite in early 2023.

This partnership was done to bring two-way satellite connectivity to smartphones for emergencies. This technology would allow the phone to send and receive messages in situations where there is no cellular network.

For satellite connectivity, the chipmaker planned to use Iridium's constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites. With this partnership ending, the satellite connectivity feature may not come to smartphones that will be equipped with Snapdragon chipsets. Qualcomm and Iridium's partnership for dual satellite connectivity has ended abruptly.

Iridium recently shared a press release announcing that it has successfully developed a satellite-based communications feature for phones in collaboration with Qualcomm. The company has also successfully demonstrated the technology. However, the chip maker decided to end the agreement as the phone brands did not use the feature.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip already supports Snapdragon Satellite technology. However, it can be activated on phones only when manufacturers add additional antenna hardware to their devices.

Several smartphone manufacturers, service providers, and satellite companies have partnered on similar projects. This includes brands like Apple, Iridium, SpaceX, AT&T, T-Mobile, and AST SpaceMobile. iPhone manufacturer Apple has also invested heavily in its "Emergency SOS with Satellite" service. The company started this service during the launch of its iPhone 14 models in 2022.