Reuters- Qualcomm has partnered with Iridium Communications Inc to provide a satellite-based messaging service on premium smartphones running Google's Android operating system, the chipmaker said on Thursday.
The partnership comes months after Apple Inc unveiled a similar feature that allows iPhone 14 models to send emergency messages via satellite in some countries such as the United States and Canada. A Qualcomm chip that can talk to satellites if there is no Wi-Fi or cellular data connection is included in those phones.
Qualcomm said on Thursday that the new service, Snapdragon Satellite, will be available in certain regions from the second half of 2023 starting devices using the second generation Snapdragon 8 mobile platform.
It added that the Snapdragon Satellite can also be enabled on other devices such as laptops, vehicles and tablets, without specifying if those devices would need special equipment.
They will then be communicated to the recipient or emergency services.
It's a GPS-based gadget maker that will coordinate emergency response services for users, according to Qualcomm.