Qualcomm and Iridium Terminate Satellite Phone Cooperation Project

On Thursday, local time in the United States, semiconductor giant Qualcomm and satellite communications company Iridium announced the termination of their satellite phone cooperation project.

Iridium had previously stated that Qualcomm agreed to enable satellite information and emergency services on smartphones powered by the Snapdragon Mobile Platforms, which utilize the Iridium satellite network. However, smartphone manufacturers did not incorporate this technology into their devices. On November 3rd, Qualcomm informed Iridium of its decision to terminate the agreement, which would take effect from December 3rd.

Currently, major carriers are pursuing the emerging market of directly connecting unmodified smartphones to satellites. Many smartphone manufacturers, service providers, and satellite companies have collaborated on projects by companies such as Apple, Iridium, SpaceX, AT&T, T-Mobile, and AST SpaceMobile, among others.

Apple is investing heavily in providing "Satellite Emergency SOS" services, which have been launched on the iPhone 14 model.

In its press release, Iridium stated that the termination of the agreement with Qualcomm allows them to collaborate with other companies involved in satellite cellular projects. The company also mentioned that the termination of the agreement will not affect its financial expectations for the full year of 2023. Matt Desch, the CEO of Iridium, expressed disappointment in the immediate outcome of the collaboration but believes that incorporating satellite connectivity into consumer devices is the clear direction for the industry.