Huawei becomes first to offer satellite texting: How it works
What's the story
The satellite-based communication war has begun, and it looks like Huawei is a step ahead of its competitors such as Apple and Samsung.
The Chinese tech giant's newly announced Mate 50 series features satellite texting, making Huawei the first smartphone maker to incorporate this technology.
The Mate 50 and 50 Pro will use China's BeiDou satellite network for the service.
Here's how it works.
Context
Why does this story matter?
In the list of candidates who were likely to introduce satellite-based communication on their phones, Huawei was certainly not at the top.
After the US-imposed sanctions, the company has been essentially out of the premium smartphone game. At least that's what we thought.
However, Huawei has exceeded our expectations by being the first to add satellite texting, essentially beating Apple in the race.
The tech
How does Huawei's satellite-based communication works?
On the Mate 50 and 50 Pro, satellite-based communication is enabled with the help of China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.
The technology is limited for the time being. Users will only be able to send short texts and use the navigation in areas without cellular signal.
The Mate 50 series only supports sending texts using satellites, not receiving them.
Importance
What is the importance of satellite-based texting?
In the 21st century, the world we live in is more connected than ever. However, there are still areas where cellular coverage is a no-show, including a desert or sea.
This is where satellite-based texting comes into play. It provides an emergency connection in places without signal to get a text out.
This technology will also help in areas hit by disasters.
Competition
Huawei isn't the only smartphone company working on satellite communication
Huawei isn't the only one who has been working on satellite-based texting.
For months we've been hearing about Apple working on something similar. The upcoming iPhone 14 is expected to feature satellite texting.
Last month, Starlink and T-Mobile announced their partnership that will enable smartphones to connect directly to satellites.
Google has also confirmed that Android 14 will have support for satellite communication.
About the phones
A 4G-only Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip powers the devices
The Mate 50 bears a 6.7-inch, 90Hz OLED display, while the 50 Pro offers a 120Hz 6.74-inch OLED screen.
The handsets flaunt a 50MP main shooter with variable aperture and a 13MP ultra-wide lens. The former sports a 12MP telephoto sensor, whereas the latter has a 64MP telephoto snapper.
They are powered by a 4G-only Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip.