When Apple debuted the iPhone 14 lineup in late 2020, it got here with a considerably shocking twist: For the primary time, a client smartphone would be capable to attain out to emergency providers from anyplace on the globe by sending textual content messages through satellite tv for pc in locations the place conventional mobile and Wi-Fi networks are unavailable.
Apple referred to as it Emergency SOS through Satellite tv for pc, and it was an formidable enterprise, particularly once we discovered that Apple had launched its personal satellite tv for pc constellation to energy it — at a price of $450 billion. The challenge was undertaken in partnership with Globalstar, which dealt with the deployment of the satellite tv for pc infrastructure, however Apple footed 95% of the invoice to get the mandatory satellites constructed and despatched into orbit.
Whereas very early studies advised Apple’s satellite tv for pc connectivity would use 5G band 53, these turned out to be a results of misreading the 5G chip and antennas that might be going into the iPhone 13 in 2021. Band 53 is utilized by satellite tv for pc firm Globalstar, however just for terrestrial networks — non-public 5G providers in locations like the Port of Seattle and the New York Energy Authority. It by no means had something to do with satellite tv for pc communications. When Apple lastly launched Emergency SOS through Satellite tv for pc late final yr, it used the identical L band and S band frequencies as most different satellite tv for pc communications.
Qualcomm Enters the Ring
To not be outdone, Qualcomm stepped up just a few months later with a promise to deliver even higher satellite tv for pc connectivity to Android smartphones. On the 2023 Client Electronics Present in January, Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with “Snapdragon Satellite tv for pc” in-built. The initiative could be achieved in partnership with Iridium, which already had a completely operational satellite tv for pc constellation. It might use an analogous L band satellite tv for pc spectrum to Apple’s satellite tv for pc connectivity options reasonably than the 5G spectrum of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink constellation, which isn’t almost as resilient in inclement climate nor almost as simply rolled out globally because it requires licensing 5G spectrum.
Following Qualcomm’s announcement, many anticipated an imminent launch of flagship Android handsets that might surpass Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup for satellite tv for pc connectivity. With Snapdragon Satellite tv for pc, Qualcomm promised assist for sending regular textual content messages through satellite tv for pc, not simply emergency messages. Even Garmin, which has lengthy supplied standalone satellite tv for pc communicators equivalent to its inReach gadgets, was on board with the partnership to assist facilitate the hyperlink to emergency providers and different messaging providers.
Snapdragon Satellite tv for pc Coulda Been a Contender
Nonetheless, when Samsung’s Galaxy S23 lineup appeared a month later, it packed in a custom-designed Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with no satellite tv for pc providers to go together with it. As extra high-end Android telephones confirmed up with Qualcomm’s silicon all through 2023 however no Snapdragon Satellite tv for pc, many have been beginning to marvel what was up with an initiative that had seemingly proven a lot promise.
Final week, Qualcomm stated out loud what many individuals have been pondering. In an announcement to CNBC, the chipmaker declared that it had ended its partnership with Iridium, declaring Snapdragon Satellite tv for pc formally lifeless.
The rationale? It was a swing-and-miss. It seems that no person needed it. Or no less than no person needed to pay for it.
Qualcomm stated that although the 2 corporations “efficiently developed and demonstrated the expertise,” smartphone makers “haven’t included the expertise of their gadgets.”
Whereas one of many issues could have been that Qualcomm’s expertise was extra proprietary — smartphone makers are on the lookout for “standards-based options,” Qualcomm stated — possible the extra necessary issue that dissuaded these smartphone makers was the staggering price concerned in making it occur.
In the meantime on the iPhone…
As we talked about earlier, Apple has spent near half a billion {dollars} placing its personal satellites into orbit, and to date, it’s not even making an attempt to recoup these prices — no less than circuitously.
The iPhone 14 launched with two years of free Emergency SOS through Satellite tv for pc service for all clients, with no phrase on what Apple will cost for it as soon as these two years are up. Apple made the identical supply to iPhone 15 customers this fall whereas additionally sweetening the pot by including Roadside Help through Satellite tv for pc.
At this level, each iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 proprietor has free entry to each satellite tv for pc providers, and we in all probability received’t know till someday subsequent yr what Apple will cost for many who select to maintain their iPhone 14 into a 3rd yr.
It in all probability helps that these are nonetheless primarily for emergency providers — both life-threatening emergencies or no less than stranded-on-the-side-of-the-road conditions. Apple’s solely non-emergency satellite tv for pc characteristic is the power to report your Discover My location through satellite tv for pc if you’re fully out of mobile or Wi-Fi protection, which possible doesn’t place an excessive amount of demand on Apple’s satellite tv for pc community.
That’s to not say the emergency options aren’t useful. They’re crucial factor you should utilize satellite tv for pc connectivity for, they usually’ve already helped extinguish wildfires and save households and hikers stranded in harmful conditions.
Nonetheless, limiting the service to emergencies solely means Apple has possible gotten away with launching fewer satellites. The Iridium constellation powers extra providers, equivalent to Garmin’s inReach gadgets, that may additionally deal with on a regular basis textual content messaging and climate studies. Nonetheless, Garmin additionally fees a minimal of $15/month for these options, and that base package deal solely will get you ten textual content messages of 160 characters every; limitless texts will set you again $65/month for Garmin’s “Expedition” package deal.
It stands to purpose that Apple will finally work out a solution to cost for its satellite tv for pc options. Buyers will in the end count on the corporate to start out being profitable off its $500 million funding. Whereas it’s possible allocating a portion of iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 income to cowl that for now, it’s in all probability additionally biding its time to develop its satellite tv for pc constellation to the purpose the place it might deal with the sort of value-added providers that Apple can cost for.
It’s not that a lot of a leap, both. Apple already has the iMessage community for messaging, plus its personal refined climate providers because of its 2020 acquisition of Darkish Sky. Each of those may simply type a part of a satellite tv for pc providers subscription package deal that might change into yet one more one in all Apple’s providers — and presumably even a part of an Apple One bundle.