Samsung's next-generation flagship, the Galaxy S24 series, could feature an advanced satellite connectivity feature only available on Apple Inc.'s AAPL iPhones.
What Happened: Samsung's Galaxy S24 series could feature the life-saving satellite connectivity feature missing from almost all Android phones.
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Only rival Apple has the satellite connectivity feature built into iPhones.
South Korea's Minister of Science and ICT, Lee Jong-ho, said in an interview with Yonhap News that the country's smartphone companies are working on adding a feature that would allow their phones to communicate with satellites. Given that the only major smartphone maker in South Korea now is Samsung after LG shut down its smartphone business, Jong-ho is believed to be referring to Samsung.
“I cannot say for sure, but I know that the domestic industry is considering commercializing the service next year, expecting that a standard related to satellite communication will be prepared next year," Jong-ho said.
Post the Galaxy S23 series launch this year, TM Roh, head of Samsung's mobile division, said that the company would bring satellite connectivity "when there is the right timing, infrastructure, and technology".
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset powering the Galaxy S23 series supports satellite connectivity. However, Samsung decided against shipping the feature.
Why Satellite Connectivity Is Important: Apple is the only other major company to offer satellite connectivity, which has already saved several lives.
Most recently, Apple's Emergency SOS feature saved multiple lives during the wildfires in Maui. Even without cellular connectivity, iPhones used satellite connectivity to send out an SOS to rescuers along with accurate coordinates, allowing responders to rescue people.
Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S24 series in the first quarter of 2024. It could use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset or its own Exynos 2400 chipset – while Qualcomm already has satellite connectivity in its feature set, Samsung too has the technology ready to deploy.
Image Credit – Samsung
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