igeekphone on August 14 news, last year there were rumors that Samsung would be equipped with satellite communication functions on its flagship model Galaxy S23, but it did not come true in the end, and Galaxy S23 series mobile phones released in February this year do not support satellite communication.
Lee Jong-ho, South Korea’s minister of Science, Technology and Information and Communication, told Yonhap News that domestic smartphone brands are expected to launch a service next year to enable data transmission between 5G phones and satellites. Since Samsung is the only major smartphone brand in South Korea (LG has shut down its smartphone division), this suggests that Samsung may add satellite communications capabilities to its phones next year.
“I can’t say for sure, but I know the domestic industry is considering commercializing the service next year,” Mr. Lee said in an interview. “I expect a standard related to satellite communications to be formulated next year.”
Igeekphone noted that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 used in Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series phones released this year can connect to LEO (low Earth Orbit) satellites to provide emergency calling and messaging services, but the Galaxy S23 series does not support this feature. Samsung explained earlier this year that the satellite communications ecosystem is not yet mature, and it will wait for the ecosystem to complete before launching related new features. Samsung is reportedly working with Iridium Communications, which has a network of low-orbit satellites used to provide emergency communications services.
Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy S24 series of phones in the first quarter of next year, including the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 + and Galaxy S24 Ultra models. The phones will come in two versions: one with an Exynos 2400 chip and the other with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. If the Galaxy S24 has satellite communication, then the Exynos 2400 must also support this function at the hardware level.
Two-way satellite communication means that smartphones can connect to low-orbit satellites to make emergency calls and send information without mobile network coverage. This function can allow users to get rescue or medical assistance when they are lost or in danger. Huawei and Apple have satellite communication capabilities. In the future, there may be technologies that allow regular phones to enable two-way satellite communication without the need for additional hardware, one of which has previously been tested on the Galaxy S22.