Iridium: Conclusion of Agreement Between Us and Qualcomm Regarding Snapdragon Satellite

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This is the announcement from Iridium, the entity operating satellite systems, about the termination of the collaboration with Qualcomm for the launch of Snapdragon Satellite at the beginning of the year (CES 2023). After almost a year since its introduction, only a few manufacturers have shown keen interest in integrating this feature into their devices, considering it a competitive feature against Apple.

Additionally, Iridium discloses that the satellite emergency communication feature has been successfully developed and demonstrated. It is ready to go commercial on Android devices throughout the past year, 2023. However, the final results did not meet expectations.

One of the reasons behind the pricing is Qualcomm's collaboration with Iridium. Any smartphone manufacturer using Snapdragon Satellite has to pay either directly to Iridium or through Qualcomm. It's possible that some smartphone manufacturers may not want or appreciate the idea of providing a service on their devices managed by Qualcomm.

Earlier this year, Samsung explained why they didn't integrate satellite connectivity. The demand was too low, and the operating and maintenance costs were deemed too high, simply put, it wasn't the right time.

In response, Qualcomm told CNBC that they will continue developing this feature based on fundamental standards, not exclusive to Iridium's solution. This opens up opportunities for other manufacturers looking to collaborate with satellite-operating companies similar to Iridium. Back in August, Google also hinted at developing a feature on Android to facilitate satellite connectivity.

Apple introduces satellite connectivity for the first time on the iPhone 14 (2022), but its launch is limited to specific markets. In the first year, users get to use it for free, meaning Apple bears the cost. So, it's only when users have to pay to extend the service that they'll find out if this feature is essential and widely used. Currently, there's no report on the number of users utilizing this satellite connectivity feature.

On the contrary, the CEO of Iridium expresses a desire for OEMs to adopt this feature and mentions actively seeking new partners.

For more information, you can check out The Verge.

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