Press conference 

 

Qualcomm announced at CES 2023 that it has reached an agreement with Iridium (Irdium) to launch a satellite communication solution on Snapdragon Satellite, which will bring satellite-based networking capabilities for a new generation of Android flagship phones.

 

Impact analysis

 

The past two years has already seen various low-orbit satellites be deployed. With regard to Starlink, as of the end of 2022, 3,300 satellites were deployed in orbit and have provided services throughout many areas of the world and offered a broadband network for users primarily through ground receiving stations and routers. However, the focus of expectations from the outside world when it comes to streaming has always been connection to personal mobile devices. While Apple announced at the end of 2022 that it would invest US$450 million into satellite emergency services by building Globalstar to provide emergency services on iPhone 14, such services will only be made available in North America and can only but send signals one way. In contrast, Qualcomm Snapdragon Satellite can work to maintain two-way contact among relatives and friends during non-emergency situations. Based on the planning of the convention, this service will be launched in some regions in the second half of 2023.

 

Unlike Apple’s closed system, Snapdragon has been widely used in major mobile device brands, coupled with the characteristics of two-way communication, which explains why the link between low-orbit satellites and mobile devices only officially opens after the product is marketed. As such, when Qualcomm products are launched, they will create pressure on their competitors, which should help accelerate the expansion of related technologies and services. Starlink further announced its cooperation with T-Mobile in 2022, as the second-generation Starlink satellites will directly provide mobile phone services. For second-generation Starlink, 29,988 satellites were applied in the subsequent stage, of which the FCC had already approved 7,500 pieces by the end of 2022. Although 6G standards are still under discussion, the era in which low-orbit satellites will be integrated into mobile communication networks is not far, judging from the trends of Qualcomm and Starlink and a business perspective.

 

Source of picture: Qualcomm