Iridium and Qualcomm to support satellite messaging in smartphones

Emergency messaging using Snapdragon Satellite is expected to debut starting in the second half of 2023 in premium Android smartphones launched in select regions.

As opposed to selecting a single smartphone manufacturer, Iridium’s collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies is aimed to support satellite services into a variety of smartphone brands and has the potential to expand to other consumer devices in the future.

Commenting on the deal, Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium, said: “While some have been expecting we would be integrating our system into a specific smartphone, what we’ve done is so much bigger. Working with a mobile technology leader such as Qualcomm Technologies and their powerful Snapdragon platforms allows Iridium to serve the smartphone industry horizontally – and offers us an opportunity to enable other consumer and vehicular applications in the future. This supports our larger vision of connecting people and things on the move, anywhere!”

Beyond smartphones, Iridium satellite connections can enable similar applications for vehicles, and other personal consumer and IoT devices.

Durga Malladi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cellular Modems and Infrastructure at Qualcomm Technologies, added: “Qualcomm Technologies is rooted in a vision for engineering human progress and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with premium smartphones and the next generation of connected smart devices across industries. Snapdragon Satellite is another step in achieving our vision, enabling OEMs and other service providers with global coverage and satellite messaging capabilities.”

With approximately 85% of the world’s surface without cellular coverage, Snapdragon Satellite-equipped smartphones will be capable of accessing global coverage, sending emergency messages and texting with friends and family from anywhere on the planet with a view of the open sky.