The Galaxy S23, Samsung's next-generation flagship, is expected in February 2023, which is only two months away. According to the latest reports, the Galaxy S23 series may include satellite connectivity, similar to Apple's iPhone 14. This feature will enable phones to send data such as text messages and small images even when there is no internet connection.
The company appears to have partnered with Iridium, which will assist in enabling the feature through its 66 low-orbit communication satellites. According to ETNews in Korea, the development of such a feature was not without challenges. The most difficult technical challenge was fitting a large enough RF antenna into a standard smartphone to enable satellite communication.
With this addition, Samsung appears to be attempting to outdo Apple, which has partnered with Globalstar. When there is no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, the iPhone 14 series allows users to text emergency services via satellite. Samsung is taking it a step further by allowing users to send small images to people other than emergency services.
However, Huawei launched the Mate 50 series with satellite connectivity a day before the iPhone 14 series. With these three companies offering the feature, more OEMs may adopt it in the future.
Simultaneously, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is rumoured to use the latest generation of Qualcomm's 3D Sonic ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, according to Twitter tipster @RGCloudS. It's unclear what advantages the third-generation sensor will have over the second-generation sensor used in the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Other rumoured Galaxy S23 series features include significant night photography improvements, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and slightly larger batteries.
