Qualcomm canceled the satellite SOS feature, which it announced as a major innovation for Android phones. This feature, which is expected to rival a similar feature offered by Apple on iPhones, was introduced under the name Snapdragon Satellite. However, the interest and support required to implement this innovative service could not be provided.

Snapdragon Satellite, which was announced last January in partnership with satellite communications company Iridium, was shelved after only 10 months. Iridium announced that Qualcomm has ended its partnership on this feature. Although it was stated that the feature was developed and demonstrated successfully, the lack of necessary support from smartphone manufacturers brought the end of this project.

Qualcomm, In a statement to CNBC, stated that they will continue to work with Iridium on “standards-based solutions” for satellite connectivity. This shows that Qualcomm is still hopeful of offering satellite connectivity features for Android phones. However, the initial lack of interest in this technology indicates that such a feature will not be offered in the near future.

Price may be behind Snapdragon Satellite’s failure

One of the reasons behind the failure of Snapdragon Satellite may be the price. Access to Iridium’s satellite network required a payment, and this system placed Qualcomm at the center of those payments. Smartphone manufacturers may not be keen on the idea of ​​offering a service managed by Qualcomm.

This may explain why Qualcomm is now adopting a standards-based approach to satellite connectivity. This approach will allow smartphone manufacturers to control relationships with satellite companies. In August, it was revealed that Google was about to add support for emergency satellite services to Android.

Satellite connectivity is now available on all new iPhones, but Apple still hasn’t made an official statement about what demand is for this service. Apple is currently paying for it out of its own pocket, so until users start paying, we won’t know how much people really care about satellite connectivity.

Iridium remains hopeful that phone manufacturers will eventually adopt the feature and that users will want it. Jordan Hassin, Iridium’s director of communications. The Verge “We are re-engaging with smartphone OEMs, other chip manufacturers and smartphone operating system developers with whom we have previously collaborated, as well as meeting with new potential partners,” he told the site.

This step by Qualcomm could be an important turning point in the mobile communications industry. However, for now, it looks like more time and innovation will be needed for this tech dream to come true. This situation may change depending on the interests and demands of smartphone manufacturers and users. As the world of technology continues to evolve rapidly, the future of such innovative features is also constantly changing. What the future of satellite-connected smartphones will be, time will tell.