Samsung is preparing its own smartphone-to-satellite communications platform

Samsung is preparing its own smartphone-to-satellite communications platform to meet Apple’s requirements.

A number of rumors have suggested that Samsung may have used smartphone-to-satellite technology in its Galaxy S23 lineup, as Apple did with its iPhone 14. Ultimately, this did not happen. But today, the South Korean giant has unveiled a new modem compatible with the standardized 5G Extraterrestrial Network (NTN) that will enable two-way communication between smartphones and satellites. The technology will offer users the ability to send and receive calls, text messages and data without a cellular network. And it will be integrated into future Samsung Exynos chips.

Samsung is preparing its own smartphone-to-satellite communications platform

The goal is to allow users in mountains, deserts and other remote areas to communicate with others in an emergency. NTN 5G also complies with 3GPP Release 17 standards, which means it works with legacy communications services from chip makers, smartphones, and other telecom devices.

However, Samsung has indicated that over time the technology could be used to transfer high-definition photos and even videos in addition to text messages and calls. The company has already modeled its technology using the Exynos Modem 5300 platform “to accurately predict the location of satellites and reduce frequency shifts caused by the Doppler effect,” she said. This will help pave the way for hybrid extraterrestrial networks “in preparation for the advent of 6G,” said Samsung Vice President Min Gu Kim.

to match Apple

At CES 2023, Qualcomm unveiled Snapdragon Satellite, a technology that allows smartphones to send messages when there is no cellular signal. This will work on smartphones equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and an X70 modem, as well as optional radios. Since the Samsung Galaxy S23 has these two chips, it was logical to assume that it could benefit from this communication technology to match the Apple iPhone 14.

However, Samsung’s VP of Mobile Experience, TM Roh, said that the timing for launching such a feature is not the best, as the infrastructure is still very limited. “When the time is right, infrastructure and technology is ready, and of course Samsung Galaxy and our mobile division is ready, we can consider implementing this feature,” he explained in an interview with CNET.