It was already hinted earlier this year that Samsung has been testing an in-house Exynos broadband chip that will enable satellite communication services on its smartphones. But after that, there were no developments about the tech’s actual availability. Now, Samsung’s very own exec has confirmed that satellite connectivity is coming to Galaxy phones by 2024.

Samsung's Satellite-based connectivity on Galaxy smartphones could debut on Galaxy S24
Samsung’s satellite connectivity for smartphones using 5G non-terrestrial networks. / © Samsung

In a recent presentation to the media, Samsung’s LSI division CEO Park Yong-in stated that they already plan to enable satellite communications on its smartphones next year. While it hasn’t directly confirmed whether this is arriving on the Galaxy S24, it’s very safe to say the upcoming flagship is the first to take advantage of it.

How Samsung’s satellite communication is better than one on the iPhone

More importantly, the satellite-based feature that Samsung is adding might be the one they have demonstrated before, which is two-way satellite connectivity using the new Exynos modem. Unlike the iPhone’s version which only allows exchanging short messages and coordinates, Samsung could utilize non-terrestrial networks.

Primarily, this method enables exchanging files like photos and videos in a two-way messaging system. Plus, using this greatly enhances the precision of location finding as it reduces the Doppler effect and other degrading factors affecting the transmission between a handset and the orbiting satellites. 

It’s also unclear whether the feature will be free or would only be accessible as an add-on service on the Galaxy smartphones. However, Samsung may take a page from the iPhone maker and make the service free for the first few years.

Do you think a satellite service will be useful on the Galaxy S24? Would you be willing to pay to use it? We’re eager to hear your opinion.

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