AppleMobilesTech Giants

Satellite chip in iPhone 13: That’s why the feature would only be half as great

The iPhone 13 is rumored to have a special Qualcomm chip. This should make it possible to make calls not only via the cellular network but also via satellites close to the earth. On closer inspection, however, this feature is probably less useful in everyday life.

  • A modified Qualcomm X60 modem with satellite telephony capability is said to be installed in the iPhone 13
  • This should enable communication with the near-earth LEO satellite system
  • In order to use this, however, special, expensive contracts are necessary

Apple is apparently trying to make the iPhone 13 with satellite chip to make it more independent of the cellular network. According to analysts, a modified X60 modem from Qualcomm will be used in the next Apple smartphone. This not only enables communication with 5G networks but also with the near-earth satellite system “LEO”. So it would theoretically be possible to rely on satellite telephony in the event of network problems.

IPhone 12 Pro Case
The next iPhone should be equipped with a more powerful camera. / © Weibo / Uncle PanPan

This is useful, for example, if you are traveling in remote regions with very poor cell phone reception. Such a chip would also be helpful in situations in which the cellular network breaks down – for example in traffic jams or during natural disasters. If the rumors are confirmed, you will find a feature in the next iPhone that you will probably only use very rarely.

Related:

When is the Apple event 2021? iPhone 13, iPads, MacBooks and the Apple Watch coming?

Satellite telephony contracts are rare and very expensive

When reading the euphoria surrounding the special feature of the Satellite chip in iPhone 13, I wondered whether I could simply fall back on satellite telephony. After all, building and maintaining a satellite network should be extremely costly. As the colleagues from Teltarif write, these high costs also affect the prices of the contracts that are necessary for satellite telephony.

According to this, outgoing calls cost between 70 cents and 2 euros, and either a separate contract or a prepaid card is required for use. The latter would have to be topped up with at least 50 or 100 euros, and the credit is apparently only valid for one or two years. Obtaining such a contract or a prepaid card would be quite expensive.

iPhone 12: Prices of the current models in check

Apple may have a surprise in store for the keynote, which is rumored to take place on September 14th. For example, Apple could have entered into a cooperation with a satellite network operator and negotiated access options for iPhone users in emergencies. The fact that Apple could offer such a technology in the next iPhone is already making people want to see the possibilities offered by the cell phone.

Must Read:  Apple iPhone nano

Source:
Tagesschau, Telltariff

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button