【】

Owners of new Android phones will have a much easier time getting out of emergencies later this year.

At CES 2023, Qualcomm announced Snapdragon Satellite. It’s a new initiative by the mobile chip maker to bring satellite messaging to “next-generation premium Android smartphones,” per the press release. Qualcomm is partnering with Iridium, a company with a communications satellite array already in low orbit, on this project.

SEE ALSO:CES 2023: Razer made a haptic head cushion so you can 'feel' the game

So, what does all of that actually mean? Basically, if you buy a new Android phone later this year (like a OnePlus 11 or Samsung Galaxy S23) that has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip inside of it, you’ll be able to send two-way text messages using satellites. If you’re out of cell coverage and need to communicate where you are to someone, this would theoretically come in handy.

Mashable Light SpeedWant more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Thanks for signing up!

Qualcomm’s presentation indicated that you’ll have to aim your phone at the sky while doing so, but unlike Apple’s Emergency SOSfeature launched last year, it’s not limited entirely to emergencies and lets you do more than just contact 911. The company also said that this would offer global “pole-to-pole” coverage, so hopefully there aren’t a great deal of areas where this feature won’t work.

---

Related Stories

---

• CES 2023: Razer made a haptic head cushion so you can 'feel' the game
• CES 2023: Android will auto-transfer music from your car to your phone
• CES 2023: Google gives Android Auto a much-needed facelift
• CES 2023: Panasonic unveils cupholder-sized air purifier and Amazon Alexa for your car
• CES 2023: Lenovo's opening a portal to the metaverse, no headset required

It’s no substitute for 5G, but for Android users, it’ll do in a pinch.

TopicsCES

(责任编辑：百科)