Déjà vu: No two-way satellite SOS connectivity on the Galaxy S24?،
At the very beginning of February 2023, satellite connectivity on the just-unveiled Galaxy S23 series was nowhere to be found.
TM Roh, head of Samsung's MX (mobile experience) unit, said in an interview that satellite functionality is “too limited.” Roh said: “When there is the right timing, infrastructure and technology [is] ready, so of course for Samsung Galaxy, for our mobile division, we would also actively consider adopting this feature as well.”
A year has (almost) passed since then and we could very well hear the exact same words and not benefit from satellite connectivity capabilities on the Galaxy S24 series. A new report says so (via SamMobile).
This report (from ETNews) claims that at the moment, Samsung is testing the Galaxy S24 with the three South Korean network operators – KT, LG Uplus and SK Telecom. Mobile carriers are testing whether the Galaxy S24 Ultra works as it should on their cellular networks. Samsung provided them with the Galaxy S24 Ultra which is packaged in the shape of a lunch box so as not to reveal its appearance. According to the report, there appears to be “no mention of two-way satellite connectivity on the phone” – not good news for anyone waiting for such a feature to come to the Galaxy galaxy.
Wait, wasn't satellite connectivity on the Galaxy S24 (almost) 100% secure?
Your memory is good. Exactly two weeks ago, a rumor was circulating that the new high-end Galaxy range might feature an emergency satellite connection. An alleged leaked screenshot revealed what Samsung may call an emergency texting feature on the phone. Galaxy S24. The feature is called “Emergency SMS via Satellite”. So if you find yourself in a situation where you're trying to call emergency services but you're out of range or not connected to a mobile network, Samsung will allow you to send an emergency text via satellite.
This means you will be able to send vital information about your location or GPS position to emergency response teams and get help. There is no information on whether this emergency satellite connectivity will be limited to one of the two chips (Exynos and Snapdragon) on the market. Galaxy S24 range, so the report states that the feature will likely be available on both SoC variants. It remains to be seen where this feature will first be available, if it will be present at all, and which countries it might expand to in the near future.
For example, Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature was initially only available in the United States and Canada. Then it was gradually introduced in France, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.
