While there are not all the details
As SnoopyTech insider claimed yesterday , Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon Satellite, the world’s first smartphone solution capable of supporting two-way messaging with satellites.
As expected, the Snapdragon Satellite is powered by a Snapdragon 5G modem. In the case of SoC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, for which technology support is declared, we are talking about the Snapdragon X70 5G modem. According to Qualcomm itself, Snapdragon Satellite is planned to be available on the next generation of smartphones, which will be launched in some regions starting in the second half of 2023. At the same time, it is not clear whether already released models on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will be able to receive support for the new technology through an update.
The important thing is that each individual smartphone manufacturer should not look for a partner among satellite operators. Qualcomm has already done everything by entering into an agreement with Iridium. Garmin is also mentioned in the press release, but it is said that the company is only hoping for cooperation so far.
Qualcomm also mentions that the Snapdragon Satellite can be expanded to other devices, including laptops, tablets, and IoT solutions. In general, this is logical, since the implementation first of all requires a Snapdragon modem. This also means that in the future Snapdragon Satellite may appear on more affordable Qualcomm platforms.
It is also not yet clear in which countries the new service will initially be available and whether it will be free.
