Qualcomm Ends Satellite Texting Plan Due to Lack of Interest from Phone Makers

Despite successful development and demonstration of the technology, Qualcomm's Snapdragon Satellite project, a partnership with Iridium, is terminated due to lack of integration by smartphone manufacturers, shifting the industry's focus towards standards-based solutions for satellite connectivity.

Qualcomm has terminated its Snapdragon Satellite project, a partnership with Iridium, due to lack of interest from smartphone manufacturers. The project aimed to allow Android users to send texts via satellite when they don't have cell service.
Despite the successful development and demonstration of the technology, smartphone makers did not integrate it into their devices, indicating a preference towards standards-based solutions for satellite connectivity.
The termination of the partnership allows Iridium to directly engage with smartphone makers, mobile OS developers, and other chipmakers. Iridium CEO Matt Desch expressed disappointment but remains hopeful about the future of satellite connectivity in consumer devices.
The Qualcomm-Iridium partnership was intended to compete with Apple's Emergency SOS feature, which allows iPhone users to contact emergency services via satellite when they don't have a cellular connection. Apple is currently the only company offering this service widely.
Other companies, such as SpaceX's Starlink, are moving forward with their own satellite communication services. Starlink plans to launch its service next year, offering satellite-powered voice, text, and data functions directly to phones.