One of the big news in the smartphone space is satellite communications. This is one way to ensure connectivity in places where there are no carrier networks and Apple has some dominance here. Qualcomm was making progress in this area, but ended the Snapdragon satellite because Android smartphones did not use it.
Qualcomm has ended production of the Snapdragon satellite
Qualcomm has been at the forefront when it comes to smartphone technology. It covers all areas and a solution must be prepared for manufacturers so that they can provide satellite communications to their smartphones, with all devices set up and ready for integration.
This solution has now been abruptly cancelled, so it is no longer available to manufacturers. Qualcomm and Iridium have announced that the Snapdragon satellite is dead, even after proving that it works perfectly and guarantees assistance to users.
In the current situation publishedIridium says it's surprising why the partnership ended. He explains that this is happening because of Qualcomm's decision and because Android smartphones still do not use the technology necessary to communicate with satellites.
Satellite communications were provided by Iridium
The technology, created in partnership between Qualcomm and Iridium, would have allowed Android smartphones to establish a limited satellite connection to send emergency messages. However, there has been silence for about a year since the technology was announced.
What's even more curious is that there are several Android smartphone brands that have already announced the presence of this new feature in the telecom space. With Qualcomm no longer using the Snapdragon Satellite, the question remains whether these solutions are proprietary or provided by another manufacturer.
To this end, the Android world is left without a practical solution for satellite communications. Brands will certainly invest in this area and look for increasingly complete and complex solutions. It remains to be seen who will be the manufacturer that will provide these technologies and solutions.