Qualcomm to add Iridium satellite to phones, other gadgets

Chipmaker Qualcomm said its Snapdragon chipset platform will be able to connect to Iridium’s satellites, allowing Qualcomm’s customers to build devices that can send text messages from virtually anywhere in the world.

The companies said they expect unnamed Qualcomm customers to begin selling satellite-capable smartphones starting in the second half of 2023. Qualcomm’s customers include a wide array of smartphone vendors including Smasung, as well as other gadget makers such as automobile companies, laptop manufacturers, Internet of Things (IoT) players and others.

Iridium, a satellite operator based in Virginia, announced in the middle of last year that it “entered into a development agreement to enable Iridium’s technology in smartphones.” However, speculation at the time largely centered on a possible deal with Samsung – particularly after Apple announced its own satellite-texting service with Iridium’s rival, Globalstar, in the fall.

Beyond phones

“While some have been expecting we would be integrating our system into a specific smartphone, what we’ve done is so much bigger,” said Iridium CEO Matt Desch in a press release. “Working with a mobile technology leader such as Qualcomm Technologies and their powerful Snapdragon platforms allows Iridium to serve the smartphone industry horizontally – and offers us an opportunity to enable other consumer and vehicular applications in the future. This supports our larger vision of connecting people and things on the move, anywhere!”

During a call with media Thursday, Desch emphasized that he expects Iridium’s deal with Qualcomm to target smartphones initially and expand to other gadgets later, though he didn’t provide a timeline for expansion. He said Iridium has invested $3 billion into its satellite network to handle additional network traffic from customers such as Qualcomm.

“Going forward, it’s going to be in a lot of devices,” Desch said during the call, noting that roughly a billion smartphones are sold every year, and that the average smartphone owner replaces their device every few years.

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