New iPhone may also be a satellite communicator

[stiltzkin]

Android one-ups Apple’s satellite SOS with general-purpose satellite SMS

Qualcomm packs traditional Iridium satellite compatibility into a normal phone.

arstechnica.com

Looks like new Qualcomm chipsets will have integration with Iridium, bringing this feature to Android. It should actually be better in some ways than the service on the iPhone, as the Iridium network is larger than Globalstar, and this will allow you to send free-form text messages instead of just a rescue beacon. Remains to be seen how pricing will be handled, however.

 

[Boyd]

Looks like new Qualcomm chipsets will have integration with Iridium, bringing this feature to Android.

Apparently that's not gonna happen...

Qualcomm is ending its Snapdragon Satellite partnership with satellite phone maker Iridium. Although the pair "successfully developed and demonstrated the technology" smartphone makers "have not included the technology in their devices," Iridium said in a statement.

Qualcomm's satellite texting plan is dead because phone makers aren't interested

Qualcomm's plan to let Android users send texts via satellite when cell service isn't available is dead for now.

www.engadget.com