Last year, there were rumors that Samsung might add a special feature to its Galaxy S23 flagship phones that would let them connect to satellites for communication. However, when the Galaxy S23 phones came out in February this year, they didn’t have this satellite feature.
A person in charge of technology in South Korea mentioned that local phone brands might launch a service next year that allows 5G phones to send data to satellites. Since Samsung is the main phone brand in South Korea now (LG stopped making phones), it’s possible Samsung might add this satellite ability to its phones next year.
The technology person said, “I’m not certain, but I know the industry here is thinking about starting this service next year. They’re waiting for some rules about satellite communication to be set up next year.”
A type of chip used in Samsung’s Galaxy S23 phones can connect to certain satellites to send emergency calls and messages. But the Galaxy S23 phones didn’t have this ability. Samsung said they’re waiting for the technology to be ready before adding it. They’re working with a company that has special satellites for emergency calls.
Next year, Samsung will likely release new phones called the Galaxy S24 series. These phones might come in two versions, one with a chip called Exynos 2400 and another with a chip called Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. If the Galaxy S24 has satellite communication, then the Exynos 2400 chip must also support it.
Satellite communication means phones can talk to satellites in the sky, even when there’s no regular cell network. This is helpful for emergency calls when people are lost or in danger.
Some other brands like Huawei and Apple already have phones with this satellite feature. In the future, there might even be a way for normal phones to use satellites without needing extra parts. This idea was tested before with the Galaxy S22 phone.
Here’s a list of Samsung Galaxy devices eligible for Android 14 & One UI 6.0