4 ms·

I don’t see this as a game changer. It may be revolutionary in terms of technological achievement, but what’s the “killer app” for this? SMS is ok, because it i

I don’t see this as a game changer. It may be revolutionary in terms of technological achievement, but what’s the “killer app” for this? SMS is ok, because it is already unreliable on traditional cellular networks and there’s no saying how long a message would take to reach. Voice and data seems to be a fantasy, especially if it has to scale. Latency and packet loss (presuming it’s all going to be IP based) would make this almost as good as existing satellite Internet services or somewhat better than them. What’s new here that would make it work significantly better than current technology for voice and data, and how are the limits of physics being tested or worked around? If Apple wants to launch satellites that can communicate with phones directly, I’d prefer that the work go into better maps and better real time navigation (though I’m not sure how the latter could be helped much with satellites). Apple users need this more than anything novel and fancy if Google’s lead on this needs to be narrowed.

the_real_sparky 7y ago
On-board global SMS would probably destroy a good chunk of the SPOT GPS beacon market. The only advantage GPS beacons/emergency locators might have at that point is battery life, and someone like Apple could probably take that part of the market too with a “low power tracking” mode that only fired up briefly every 10 minutes to transmit your current location.
Multicomp 7y ago
I am no expert, but having normal cell phone speeds available most of the time, then backing off to 'IP-over-SMS (IoTXT?)' speeds when off the cell phone network carries a lot of value for me, not just in search and rescue scenarios, but maritime use, use in the back 40, and so on. Sure, we won't be able to stream media, but having slow and steady wireless communications vs. no signal at all is like comparing a running, rusty 1985 Volvo station wagon to a 2021 Porche 911 GTS with no wheels: one will move you from place to place, albeit at a stately pace and in no style, the other is super cool, and at this exact second in time, is unfit for the purpose of transporting a body from place to place.

the_real_sparky 7y ago

On-board global SMS would probably destroy a good chunk of the SPOT GPS beacon market. The only advantage GPS beacons/emergency locators might have at that point is battery life, and someone like Apple could probably take that part of the market too with a “low power tracking” mode that only fired up briefly every 10 minutes to transmit your current location.

Multicomp 7y ago

I am no expert, but having normal cell phone speeds available most of the time, then backing off to 'IP-over-SMS (IoTXT?)' speeds when off the cell phone network carries a lot of value for me, not just in search and rescue scenarios, but maritime use, use in the back 40, and so on. Sure, we won't be able to stream media, but having slow and steady wireless communications vs. no signal at all is like comparing a running, rusty 1985 Volvo station wagon to a 2021 Porche 911 GTS with no wheels: one will move you from place to place, albeit at a stately pace and in no style, the other is super cool, and at this exact second in time, is unfit for the purpose of transporting a body from place to place.