Satellite Calls from Smartphones Will be a Trend
Samsung and Elon Musk will join Apple shortly
With the introduction of 14 iPhones, Apple talked at length about its satellite calling capabilities. These are the first mobile phones that can do this. But of course, one thing is on the hardware side, where the phone will provide this service, and the other is the infrastructure.
We may not see this as a revolutionary step now, but it is clear that Apple has set another trend. It isn't easy to move modern technology anywhere all the time. It isn't easy to come up with something new because few of us can imagine what smartphones, for example, should still be able to do, and they cannot yet do it.
That’s why Apple is trying satellite communications — albeit only on an emergency basis, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be something more in the future. Of course, it also falls to coverage, where even though our iPhones 14 already have satellite communication thanks to the iOS update, we still can’t get help domestically.
But the Globalstar network, in conjunction with Apple, is planning to bring the service to European markets, and maybe we’ll see it here. Even though the Czech Republic is better covered than the USA, where there are still a lot of white spaces, especially in the mountains or lowlands, there are reserves in central Europe.
SpaceX, T-Mobile and Google
Even before Apple introduced its “revolutionary” service, SpaceX and T-Mobile announced that they would provide mobile phones with satellite communication. Only Apple was the first to bring it to fruition, so the unannounced launch of the service is what counts.
However, Google, which is behind the Android operating system, has said that just the Android 14 version will already natively support satellite communications. Though, this should already be everyday communication here, not just an emergency one.
Elon Musk said (before the Twitter controversy) that satellite connectivity could support one to two thousand simultaneous phone calls or hundreds of thousands of text messages. There is no expectation that so many ‘calls for help would need to be handled at any one time, as with Apple. But T-Mobile has plans to launch a pilot operation late next year.
Samsung and Galaxy S23
And that’s what Samsung is here to do. It will not wait for anything, as Android 14 won’t be released until sometime in late August/September next year, with the company launching the successor to its flagship phones, the Galaxy S23 series, in early February.
And since it doesn’t want to miss out on any technical niceties, these should be some of the first Android phones (so far only Android 13) to bring “some” satellite communications. The very first ones should be Huawei smartphones. If Samsung didn’t do so, it would then have to wait a whole year for it to come up with this option in the Galaxy S24 series, which is a long time.
It’s unlikely that other models from the manufacturer will get this functionality, except perhaps the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5. Here, it’s up for debate if these particular machines need it. So the South Korean manufacturer wants to be ready.
However, it may also mean that it will come up with its solution to cover at least the domestic market. It certainly has the finances and capabilities to do so.
We will hear more and more about the possibilities of satellite communication. Just as 3G, 4G/LTE and now 5G have been a clear hit, the possibility of satellite communication sounds unique after all, and 6G is still a long way off, so this could be a clear marketing ploy to draw attention to the fact that with phones from a given manufacturer you can at least call for help if you are in an emergency and the signal indicator doesn’t show a single line. Apple has clearly indicated another trend that others will want to catch on to.
Satellite SOS from iPhone 14 (Pro) saved the first human life
That Apple products have the potential to save lives has been no secret for many years, but as a rule, the Apple Watch and its health features are talked about in the context of this potential. However, in the coming months and years, iPhone 14 (Pro) and later generations will almost 100% become the stars of life-saving news when Apple introduces them.
After all, that’s exactly what’s happening now. A few hours ago, the American media reported a story from Alaska, where an elderly man was lost in a place with no signal and was in danger of freezing to death because of it. However, because he had his iPhone 14 with him, he was able to summon help by connecting to the satellite and then sending his location to emergency services thanks to SOS satellite support.
They then had no problem finding him, picking him up and taking him to safety, which probably saved his life. Given that he was in a very remote location, it was extremely unlikely that he would have been able to reach a place with a signal or even civilization.
Given the confirmation of the huge potential of the new feature of the iPhones 14 (Pro), it is quite clear that they will push Apple more and more through its rapid expansion to other countries of the world.
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