Samsung announces a standardized 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) modem that will enable two-way communication between smartphones and satellites
There was speculation that Samsung could use smartphone-to-satellite technology in its Galaxy S23 much like Apple has for the iPhone 14, but that didn't happen in the end.
Context & Ripple Effects
Samsung's modem announcement follows Qualcomm's Snapdragon Satellite launch, which tied off-grid texting to Qualcomm hardware and Iridium's network. Samsung is introducing a competing component path for two-way handset-to-satellite communication, even though the Galaxy S23 did not ship with the rumored capability.
The subsequent report that Google's Pixel devices would use a Samsung modem with satellite connectivity gives the announcement a concrete route beyond Samsung's own phones.
First-order effects
- Samsung gains a standardized NTN modem it can offer for smartphones that need two-way satellite links, while Galaxy S23 buyers receive none of the rumored satellite feature.
- Qualcomm now faces a second handset-modem supplier pursuing satellite connectivity rather than being the only supplier represented in the related coverage.
Second-order effects
- Google's reported use of a Samsung modem with satellite connectivity would make modem selection a direct lever for Android phone makers seeking satellite features.
- Satellite-network providers gain another prospective handset-modem integration route, alongside Qualcomm's Iridium-based offering.
Third-order effects
- Later standard-smartphone satellite video calling by Vodafone via SpaceMobile suggests the addressable service is expanding beyond emergency-style messaging toward richer connectivity, contingent on compatible networks and devices.
- If handset makers continue to source satellite-capable modems from multiple vendors, satellite access is likely to become part of the broader hybrid connectivity stack rather than a single-vendor phone feature.
The trend: Smartphone connectivity is evolving toward hybrid terrestrial-and-satellite access, with modem suppliers and satellite networks jointly determining which services reach handsets.