With the competitive nature at the top of the global smartphone market more aggressive than ever before, the need for groundbreaking developments with every new release is critical, which is why we are seeing – or being teased with – satellite communication capabilities built-in to today’s latest smartphone releases.

Emerging Trends

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro have been announced with Emergency SOS functionalities via satellite, while the Huawei’s Mate 50 will include a satellite connection relying on the so-called Beidou Satellite Message 3 protocol. Companies including Google, Apple, and Starlink are investing vast amounts of money in developing satellite connectivity in smartphones, or entering partnerships with network providers, such is the extent that people around the world spend without signal while using their mobile devices.

Here lies the problem that companies are hoping to solve: offering consumers “always on”, global connectivity in a smartphone.

GTC's Solution

As experts in satellite communication, GTC already has an offering to address this issue: the Thuraya X5 Touch Satellite Phone. It is the world’s first android powered smart satellite phone and offers fast and simple connectivity on the move.

Thuraya X5 Touch Satellite Phone

With uninterrupted communication abilities across EMEA & APAC regions, the X5 Touch offers clear and reliable voice, SMS, tracking and SOS capabilities so that device carriers stay only a few button pushes away from friends, colleagues, or loved ones no matter how remote their location.

Running off the Android platform from Google, the X5 Touch’s user-interface will be familiar to millions, with a range of applications and services already installed including Gmail, Google Maps, Google Chrome, Google Search, and the Google Play Store.

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