On Monday, Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) said that it was collaborating with a number of Android smartphone manufacturers to give their products satellite-based messaging features.
The San Diego, California-based firm, which is the largest provider of semiconductors for tethering mobile phones to wireless internet networks, said it is collaborating on the handsets’ development with Honor, Lenovo-owned Motorola (0992.HK), Samsung, OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi Corp (1810.HK).
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In isolated or rural areas without alternative telecommunications networks, satellite-based communications can send and receive data. Earlier this year, Qualcomm made an announcement about adding the functionality to its chips.
The competition between Android device manufacturers and Apple Inc. (AAPL.O), which last year revealed the capability to transmit emergency satellite messages as one of the main features of its newest iPhone series, is anticipated to increase as a result of Qualcomm’s collaboration with those companies. Although Apple informed Reuters that they also have proprietary hardware and software, the latest iPhones do include a Qualcomm chip.
The new satellite messaging services from the Android smartphone vendors mentioned on Monday have not yet been made public, according to Qualcomm. Some Android phones would have the functionality by the second part of this year, Qualcomm said earlier this year.
