Qualcomm Officially Cancels Launch Of Satellite SOS Feature For Android

Photo: Illustration of SOS calls on Android (Dinda/VOI)

JAKARTA - Qualcomm announced that it will terminate the agreement with Iridium Communications Inc., in presenting the SOS satellite feature for Android phones called Snapdragon Satellite, which is effective December 3, 2023.

Earlier, in January, global private satellite communications providers Iridium and Qualcomm signed an agreement to enable satellite messaging and emergency services on Android smartphones supported by the Snapdragon Cellular Platform, using the Iridium satellite network.

The two companies managed to develop and demonstrate the technology. But unfortunately, Iridium said that despite its technical success, smartphone manufacturers have not included this technology in their devices.

"While I am disappointed that this partnership will not produce results soon, we believe the direction of the industry is clear towards increasing satellite connectivity on consumer devices," said Iridium CEO Matt Desch in his official question on the Iridium website.

On the other hand, Qualcomm told CNBC that it will continue to cooperate with Iridium in standard-based solutions' to satellite connectivity, even as the company removes the exclusive solutions' they have developed.

For your information, Snapdragon Satellite is a new satellite-based SOS feature created to compete with Apple's Emergency SOS feature, which was introduced in 2022 on the iPhone 14.

Apple's feature, in collaboration with satellite company Globalstar, allows iPhone users to warn of emergency services or ask for help from edges through satellite networks, when they are out of reach (no signal).