Qualcomm Scraps Plans for Satellite SOS Feature for Android Phones

Qualcomm is scrapping plans to offer a satellite SOS feature for Android phones that would have rivaled the one offered by Apple on its latest iPhones. The feature, Snapdragon Satellite , was announced in partnership with the satellite communications company Iridium in January. Now, just 10 months later, the plan is already dead. Iridium said on Thursday that Qualcomm “elected to terminate” their partnership on the feature because no smartphone maker signed up to use it.

The service is currently being offered for free, but Apple will begin charging users for access to satellite communications next year. The service’s price hasn’t been announced. Price may be one of the reasons Snapdragon Satellite never got off the ground. Someone needs to pay Iridium for access to its satellites, and this system would have put Qualcomm in the middle of those payments. Smartphone makers may not have loved the idea of offering a service that was ultimately managed by Qualcomm.

Qualcomm Satellite SOS Feature Android Phones Apple Iphones Snapdragon Satellite Iridium Partnership Termination Smartphone Maker

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