Android 14 Will Bring Satellite Connectivity to Smartphones

Android 14, the next big iteration of Google's mobile operating system will support satellite connectivity. Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google's Senior Vice President of Platforms and Ecosystems confirmed that the company is 'designing for satellites' and will back its partners in bringing satellite connectivity to the next version of Android, slated to arrive in 2023.

Android 14 To Support Satellite Connectivity

Lockheimer suggests that the user experience of connecting to a satellite will be vastly different from the usual cellular connectivity. However, he did not reveal other details pertaining to Android 14. It remains to be seen which OEMs will be ready to implement this feature, especially since it needs hardware upgrades.

This development comes within days after Elon Musk's SpaceX and US telecom major T-Mobile announced their plan to eliminate dead zones worldwide with the former's Starlink V2 satellite internet service. This will directly connect mobile users to satellites, eliminating the reliance on cellphone towers in remote locations.

Both SpaceX and T-Mobile have partnered to bring satellite connectivity to phones in the US. The carrier plans to utilize thousands of Starlink satellites to provide wireless connectivity to mobile users in remote parts of the country. It is expected that text message support could be offered by the second half of next year, whereas the voice and data services could arrive later. Apart from the T-Mobile partnership, Elon Musk has also offered an open invitation to other carriers to work with Starlink.

Meanwhile, Satellite Connected iPhone 14 Could Face Regulatory Woes in India

Similarly, recent reports suggest that Apple is already working on bringing satellite connectivity to iPhone 14. Apple is reportedly keen on providing satellite connectivity through the upcoming iPhones. The company is rumored to have already finished hardware testing for satellite communication on iPhone 14 before the mass production phase. While this hasn't been officially confirmed, the feature on the iPhone 14 series is expected to offer only emergency voice and text services.

Fresh reports suggest that the iPhone 14 Pro will be the first smartphone from the company to offer this connectivity feature. The noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo highlighted that Apple has partnered with Globalstar for the satellite functionality inside iPhones. However, satellite connectivity in future iPhones could potentially make them difficult to launch in India, as satellite phones are illegal to use in the country without obtaining appropriate clearances.