Qualcomm has ended its partnership with satellite communications provider Iridium that aimed to deliver satellite-to-phone services.
The collaboration, first announced in January 2023, was widely viewed as Android’s counterpart to Apple’s agreement with Globalstar, which enabled Apple’s satellite-powered emergency SOS feature for iPhone and Apple Watch.
Although both companies successfully developed and demonstrated the underlying technology, the partnership dissolved mainly because smartphone manufacturers did not adopt the proprietary solution.
Qualcomm said device makers have not integrated the feature into their products and prefer standards-based approaches for satellite-to-phone connectivity. As a result, Qualcomm plans to stop work on the proprietary system introduced earlier this year and instead focus on collaborating with Iridium and others on standards-based solutions.
Iridium confirmed the agreement’s end and described the change as an opportunity to re-engage with other participants in satellite-to-cell initiatives. The company also assured investors that terminating the Qualcomm agreement would not affect its full-year 2023 financial guidance.
Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium, said he was disappointed the partnership did not deliver immediate results but remained optimistic about the broader industry trend toward increased satellite connectivity in consumer devices.
(Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash)
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