Tesla's Terafab: AI Chip Factory Eyes Taiwan's Semiconductor Talent 
Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Attempting to Block Hawaii's Climate Case Against Oil Giants 
ASML Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook as AI Chip Demand Surges 
Polymarket Seeks $400M Funding Round, Targets $15B Valuation Amid Prediction Market Boom 
Japan to Subsidize Sony's Image Sensor Plant in Kumamoto with $380 Million 
Amazon in Advanced Talks to Acquire Globalstar in Starlink Rivalry Move 
Anthropic CEO Meets Trump Officials to Discuss Powerful New AI Model Mythos 
NiSource Signs Long-Term Energy Deals with Alphabet and Amazon to Power Indiana Data Centers 
China Food Delivery Stocks Dip as Regulators Crack Down on “Ghost Deliveries” 
TSMC Posts Record Q1 Profit Fueled by AI Chip Demand 
JAPEX Shares Drop as Middle East Tensions Drive LNG Costs and Production Risks 
Google promotes ‘teacher approved’ apps for kids. Here’s what parents should know 
Anthropic Discusses Frontier AI Model Mythos With Trump Administration Despite Pentagon Ban 
CATL Stock Hits Record High After Q1 2025 Earnings Surge 
Indian Refiners Use Yuan via ICICI Bank to Pay for Iranian Oil Under U.S. Sanctions Waiver 
J.P. Morgan Downgrades Essity AB on Rising Costs and Weak Earnings Outlook 
SK Hynix Shares Hit Record High Amid AI Memory Demand Surge 
More tech companies appear to be working on making satellite connectivity more widely available without the need to buy expensive sat phones. Google is the latest company to announce its efforts in bringing the technology to smartphones through the Android 14 update.
Google SVP of Platforms and Ecosystems Hiroshi Lockheimer said in a post on Twitter that it is “wild to think” that smartphones are gaining direct satellite connections. He then recalled that “it was a stretch” in 2008 to just put 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity to mobile phones.
Wild to think about user experiences for phones that can connect to satellites. When we launched G1 in '08 it was a stretch to get 3G + Wifi working. Now we're designing for satellites. Cool! Excited to support our partners in enabling all of this in the next version of Android!
— Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) September 1, 2022
“Now we're designing for satellites, Lockheimer said. “Excited to support our partners in enabling all of this in the next version of Android!” Google confirmed to 9To5Google that Lockheimer was referring to Android 14.
Google’s support for bringing direct satellite connection to Android phones came shortly after T-Mobile and SpaceX announced their partnership in making the tech available in the United States. T-Mobile said last week that its Un-carrier plans will offer “near complete coverage” in most US locations, including hard-to-reach places and areas with no cell signals, thanks to SpaceX’s low Earth orbit satellites.
In the same announcement, T-Mobile said most smartphones on T-Mobile’s network will be compatible with direct satellite communication “using the device’s existing radio.” This means most T-Mobile customers do not have to buy new devices to enjoy the upcoming service.
Satellite connection will allow smartphone users to send messages even without a cell signal, which would be very helpful during emergencies. T-Mobile says its satellite service will support text messaging (SMS and MMS), as well as some “participating messaging apps.” But the company noted it will also pursue support for voice and data coverage over satellite connections.
Satellite connections in common smartphones will likely become widely available next year. T-Mobile and SpaceX’s service will enter beta tests in select US areas in late 2023 following the latter’s planned satellite launches. This lines up with the expected release window of Android 14 in the second half of 2023.
The addition of satellite connections is very likely to be the next major development in the smartphone industry. Apple is also rumored to be working on adding this feature to upcoming iPhones and Apple Watch.
Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash
