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(Pocket-lint) – Samsung is reportedly hard at work on a feature that will allow people to send and receive satellite communications, just like Apple’s iPhone 14.
Apple’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models can use satellite communications when cellular and Wi-Fi aren’t available, but only in emergency situations. Samsung’s version of the technology will be more capable, according to a new report.
That report claims that Samsung is already testing a new satellite communications feature using 66 low-orbit communication satellites from Iridium. It’s thought that the company wants to allow users to transmit test messages and small images “at hundreds of kbps”, potentially opening the door to normal messaging services.
Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite is now available in the United States and Canada and comes to some European countries in December. But it only allows canned messages to be sent to emergency services when help is needed, limiting its usefulness. Apple pointed to low bandwidth as the reason for that limitation and it’s unclear if Samsung has been able to speed things up.
The report notes that Samsung is currently working out which features will ship as part of its Galaxy S23 lineup, with the suggestion being that the new satellite communication feature will arrive as part of that release. It’s possible it could be added via a software update at a later date, however.
Writing by Oliver Haslam.
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