Huawei’s new Pura 70 Ultra phone can send images to your contacts in an emergency, even without an internet connection.
The tool, which relies on satellites to function, works with an app called Changlian to send and receive images, according to a Huawei Central report citing company CTO Bruce Lee. If you don’t use the Changlian app you’ll only be able to receive text messages, the report says.
The feature is a first for the mobile industry, building on satellite connectivity features Huawei has previously released. Back in 2022, Huawei’s Mate 50 and Mate 50 Pro added the ability to send short texts and navigate using China’s BeiDou satellite system, China’s answer to the Global Positioning System developed by the US Air Force. The company then followed up that feature with the ability to make and receive phone calls using satellites with 2023’s Mate 60 series.
Apple was the first tech company to offer satellite texting capabilities. Back in 2022, the iPhone 14 debuted Emergency SOS via Satellite, which allowed iPhone owners in some countries to send texts to emergency services through satellites by filling out a form. By contrast, the Pura 70 Ultra purports to use the Changlian app to send two-way text messages and images, representing a substantial upgrade over Emergency SOS should it meet Apple’s standard of reliability.
Apple’s tool, which is now credited with saving lives, was expected by some watchers to set off a wave of satellite-connectivity enabled smartphones last year, although that trend never materialized.
It seems to be happening still, albeit much more slowly. Select Android phones could reportedly debut more connectivity features this year. Google’s Pixel 9 is rumored to gain the ability to send texts via satellite at its launch event, expected later this year. Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S24 series never ended up debuting satellite connectivity features despite the South Korean company announcing back in 2023 that it has the technology to allow for direct communication between phones and satellites. However, Android phones packing Qualcomm’s latest X80 5G modem, announced in February, will be able to connect to satellites.
Source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/huaweis-new-phone-uses-satellites-for-image-sharing-no-internet-required/
