Android’s update to version 14 will introduce a brand new feature: sending SMS via satellite. If some iPhone models already benefited from this technology, this was not the case for android smartphones. Google wants to catch up.
The new version of Android is expected for the beginning of September. If this will logically not represent a huge upheaval in terms of design, new features are obviously expected by users. One of them seems particularly interesting: the use of the satellite network to send SMS. Soon, you will be able to send your messages from the depths of the Creuse, or on the high seas aboard your yacht without worrying about network coverage.
Your SMS among the stars
For the moment, it is the iPhone 14 which can boast of having this feature. In order to catch up with the competition, that is to say Apple, Google will therefore launch this new feature. The first smartphones affected will obviously be Google’s Pixel devices, then will come those of Samsung.
The advantage of such technology is to be able to communicate when the network is weak or completely non-existent. For an SMS to be sent, the smartphone connects to a mobile phone antenna, a cell tower. Subsequently, there is a relay of the signal between all the antennas to the location of the recipient. Here’s how a classic shipment works. For a sending by satellite, the SMS passes by a terrestrial antenna which sends it directly in orbit to a satellite. This then sends it back to a ground station located near the recipient. This system overcomes the limitations of the telephone network.
Hardware limits and integration cost
If it is rather interesting, this functionality will unfortunately not be available for everyone. Indeed, not all smartphones are compatible with the satellite connection. Next year’s high-end smartphones should logically be equipped with it, but this will not be the case for the entry or mid-range.
A possible consequence of the introduction of this new feature is the rising cost of manufacturing the phones. If this becomes the norm, it could very well be that purchase prices increase too. If the smartphone market is down overall, this is not the case for phone prices. It would be more than unfair for the most modest customers to be penalized by a price increase for a feature that will only be used rarely.
The arrival of this feature on Android 14 is certainly good news. Its adoption by the general public will, however, depend on hardware integration by smartphone manufacturers. If this is done smoothly and without consequences on the price, there is no reason to worry. If the reverse happens, it’s more annoying. What is certain is that additional efforts are still needed to democratize this technology.
Sources: Wccftech, TelecomTalk
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