Another smartphone supports satellite connectivity, as mobile space race heats up
Summary
British smartphone firm Bullitt on Friday launched a new phone capable of sending text messages via space, joining a crowded race to commercialize satellite-enabled devices. The phone, which fits into the "rugged" category of durable handsets, comes in two versions: the Caterpillar-branded Cat S75, which is aimed at the European market and will retail for 599 euros ($634.49), and the Motorola Defy 2, which caters to North America at a $599 starting price. Device makers like Apple and chip firms like Qualcomm are betting on the untapped opportunity of putting satellite phones in the hands of people in remote areas that fall outside the reach of terrestrial telecoms infrastructure. It could come in handy, if youre a hiker whos gotten lost on a mountain trail in a far-flung place, or a worker on a remote building site who needs to contact their boss, but cant access mobile data. Bullitt says that its phones go a step further than those of Apple, enabling two-way SMS messages, as well as an emergency SOS feature which the company has developed in partnership with critical event management firm Focuspoint International.