Technologies

Samsung Now Has Its Own Tech for Connecting Smartphones to Satellites

Samsung is joining Apple and others in exploring how satellite connectivity could benefit smartphone users.

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 lineup is missing satellite connectivity, but it looks like that won’t be the case for future smartphones. The tech giant announced Thursday that it has procured technology to enable direct communication between smartphones and satellites. It will be integrated into Samsung’s Exynos modems and will allow for conversations and emergency assistance, separating it from Apple’s current offering.

The debut comes after a slew of other tech giants and wireless carriers, including Apple, Qualcomm and T-Mobile, have announced plans to bring satellite connectivity to smartphones. Satellite connectivity is noticeably absent from the new Galaxy S23, even though the phones include the necessary hardware for Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon Satellite service. But the announcement shows Samsung plans to offer its own approach to what has already become one of the biggest mobile industry trends in 2023.

Samsung’s system will use satellites and other non-terrestrial vehicles to bring smartphone connectivity to remote areas like deserts, mountains and oceans, according to the company’s press release. Samsung also says this technology could one day be used for disaster relief efforts and to help power autonomous aircrafts and flying cars.

Future phones with Exynos modems equipped with Samsung’s satellite technology will support two-way text messaging and the ability to share photos and videos. But Samsung hasn’t said when satellite connectivity will be arriving to its phones or which devices will support it.

Samsung’s approach would seemingly vary from the current version of Apple’s emergency satellite connectivity, which is available in the iPhone 14 lineup. Instead of initiating a two-way conversation, the user answers prompts on their iPhone to share critical details with emergency dispatchers. Qualcomm also announced the Snapdragon Satellite system at CES in January, which will use Iridium’s satellite fleet to enable emergency communications and eventually two-way texting.

Both Apple and Qualcomm plan to eventually monetize their satellite services in different ways. Apple will charge for the service after two years, while Qualcomm will offer a premium option for sending satellite-based texts for non-emergency scenarios. It’s unclear whether Samsung will charge for its satellite connectivity offering.

The announcement comes after TM Roh, president and head of Samsung’s mobile experience business, referred to current satellite options as being too limited when discussing the Galaxy S23’s lack of satellite support with CNET.

«When there is the right timing, infrastructure and the technology [is] ready, then of course for Samsung Galaxy, for our mobile division, we would also actively consider adopting this feature as well,» he said ahead of the company’s Unpacked event earlier this month.

Technologies

SXSW 2026 Updates: What We Expect on Tech and Culture From Austin

Technologies

Uber May Soon Let You Book a Zoox Robotaxi in Las Vegas and LA

Amazon-owned Zoox hopes to start offering paid robotaxi rides to regular riders sometime this year. Right now, the rides are free.

No steering wheel, no pedals, no problem. Zoox announced Wednesday that it’s partnering with Uber to make its robotaxis available on the ride-hailing company’s app in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, pending US government approval.

The multiyear partnership, announced by Zoox and Uber on Wednesday, would enable Uber customers to get rides on Zoox robotaxis in Vegas this summer and in LA in 2027. After the partnership launches, the app will match riders with robotaxis on eligible trips, Uber said in a statement. Zoox will also offer rides on its robotaxis through its own app, so customers can use either the Uber or Zoox app to ride in the vehicles.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi called Zoox an «ideal partner» in a statement.

«The Zoox robotaxi is unlike any othervehicle on the planet — it was purpose-built from the ground up to deliveran extraordinary experience,» Khosrowshahi said. «Zoox’scommitment to safety and their advanced autonomous driving technology makethem an ideal partner. We’re thrilled to work together to introduce moreriders to the future of mobility.»

Zoox, founded in 2014 and acquired by Amazon in 2020, currently offers free rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco during its demonstration phase of service. The company said its robotaxis have logged more than 1 million miles for more than 300,000 riders.

Zoox is also conducting tests in six other cities — Seattle, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington, DC, and Austin, Texas — and announced earlier this week that Dallas and Phoenix are next. Only people in San Francisco and Las Vegas can currently get test rides through the Zoox app.

«We’re taking a measured, step-by-step approach by starting small, learning quickly, and scaling responsibly,» Zoox said in its announcement Wednesday. «This partnership with Uber will mirror that approach, beginning with a controlled deployment with the potential to expand as we refine our operations, technology, and customer experience.»

No steering wheel

The Zoox is a fully autonomous vehicle that can carry up to four passengers (PDF). It has no steering wheel, no accelerator or brake pedals, and is bidirectional, meaning it can go forward and reverse by simply switching which end of the car is considered the front. There are touchscreens and emergency call buttons. Zoox had early issues with erratic braking that caused injuries and a crash, but addressed the issue through software updates during the ensuing investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

CNET’s Abrar Al-Heeti caught a ride in a Zoox in Las Vegas. She said she felt «oddly at ease as I watch a stream of cars, chain restaurants and desert landscape flash past the windows.»

Before it can start making money on its robotaxi rides, Zoox must get an exemption from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. NHTSA is now accepting public comments on Zoox’s application for the exemption — you can post a comment here until April 10.

Zoox is seeking eight federal vehicle safety exemptions, including from rules requiring windshield wipers and windshield defrosting systems, TechCrunch reported.

Waymo is currently the main player in the US robotaxi market, with fully autonomous service in 10 US cities. But several other companies are looking to ramp up their self-driving presence this year, including Zoox, Tesla and Uber. That market expansion aligns with a Goldman Sachs forecast that more than 35,000 robotaxis will operate in the US in 2030, up from 1,500 currently. That would represent 8% of the rideshare market, with traditional human-driven rideshare comprising the other 92%.

Uber has partnerships with 25 other robotaxi services around the world, primarily Waymo — you can use the Uber app to get Waymo rides in Atlanta and Austin — and China’s Baidu, which will be testing self-driving rides in London this year.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for March 12, #1005

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for March 12 No.1,005.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

I spotted a couple of the categories in today’s NYT Connections puzzle, but the fact that I don’t take a lot of gym classes hurt my knowledge. You avid exercisers will have an advantage today. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Beach time.

Green group hint: This way, then that way.

Blue group hint: Workout time.

Purple group hint: Chirp!