Samsung‘s Galaxy S24 series will feature satellite connectivity, a new leak has confirmed. It will allow you to send emergency texts when you are out of range or not connected to a mobile network. The feature seemingly doesn’t offer two-way communication.
Samsung brings satellite connectivity to the Galaxy S24 flagships
A screenshot shared by SamMobile shows what appears to be the settings page from a Galaxy device running One UI 6.1, which will debut with the Galaxy S24 lineup. The page lists the features that can be helpful during an emergency. It teaches you how to quickly initiate an emergency call (by repeatedly pressing the power button five times) and has spaces to record your emergency contacts and medical info.
However, there is a new feature here. Called “Emergency texts via satellite,” it lets you reach out to emergency services through text message even if your phone isn’t connected to a mobile network. The message is sent via satellite. The device comes with the necessary hardware equipment to facilitate a satellite connection for sending messages when there is no mobile network available.
A similar feature is already available on the latest iPhones and Huawei’s flagship models. So this isn’t a groundbreaking innovation from Samsung. However, it is an important feature to have on smartphones today. There are already several reports of satellite SOS saving the lives of people stranded in the wild. The emergency messages include your GPS location so response teams can track you down and rescue you.
Samsung has already developed a two-way satellite communication system
Samsung has been working on satellite connectivity for Galaxy smartphones since at least last year. The Galaxy S23 series was expected to debut the technology but not to be. The company’s mobile chief said it wants to develop a more robust solution that can transmit text messages, high-resolution photos, and videos over satellite in both directions, i.e. send and receive.
Shortly after the Galaxy S23 launch in February this year, Samsung announced its 5G NTN (non-terrestrial networks) modem technology that offers a two-way satellite communication system. Along with text messages, it also facilitates the sending and receiving of photos and videos between two compatible devices via satellite. It is unclear whether Galaxy S24 phones boast this solution.
The leaked screenshot suggests satellite connectivity is limited to emergency rescue requests, though there could be more to the story. Thankfully, it won’t be a long wait now. Samsung plans to unveil the Galaxy S24 series in mid-January, 2024, possibly on January 17. It should talk about the satellite connectivity features of the phones during the launch event, so stay tuned.