Apple transferred the Emergency Assistance feature to iPhone in 2022. This feature allows certain iPhones with the necessary hardware to connect to non-terrestrial networks. New iPhones can communicate with satellite networks for urgent needs. This will be particularly useful if a hiker is injured in a remote location where traditional communication is not possible. There is no similar feature on any Samsung phone so far. However, this may change in 2024, as a Samsung executive has strongly hinted that a similar feature may come to the Samsung Galaxy S24 series.
Samsung took a step in satellite communication
In his keynote presentation at the 2023 Semiconductor Expo, John Yong-In Park said that Samsung will enable satellite communications in smartphones in 2024. Considering its status as the flagship of the Galaxy S series, it will mainly support satellite connectivity of the Samsung Galaxy S24 family.
There were rumors that Samsung would introduce a smartphone satellite feature in 2023. With Snapdragon Satellite supported on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, there was nothing stopping Samsung from supporting satellite connections in the Galaxy S23 family. Samsung’s top man TM Roh said that the company decided to pass it on due to various reasons, including lack of proper infrastructure.