Array
Satellite texting seems like the next must-have feature for phones, although one reserved for premium phones. But, Bullitt’s new $150 Motorola Defy Satellite Link, which debuted at MWC 2023, can connect any handset to satellites thanks to a new MediaTek chip that links just about any phone, tablet or other device to satellite connectivity.
Apple was the first to debut satellite connectivity with its iPhone 14 series, and its Emergency SOS feature allows users to text emergency services when outside the range of a mobile network. Qualcomm followed by introducing its Snapdragon Satellite service, set to go live in the second half of 2023. Both are proprietary services, but MediaTek’s new chip just links devices to satellites, leaving it up to OEMs to decide how they want to implement service — like Bullitt, which has its own subscription plan to relay texts through existing satellite constellations.
The MediaTek 6825 is a stand-alone chip smaller than a fingernail and adds less than $10 to the cost of a phone or device to connect it to a satellite network.
