Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs and modems will support Galileo navigation

Qualcomm has announced that its Snapdragon processors and modems will soon support the Galileo satellite positioning system that is commonly used across Europe. The American company can now add this to its existing list of supported satellites including GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, and SBAS for a total of six different satellite systems.

The manufacturer is expecting the same reliability, speed, and precision from the Galileo network as it does from its compatibility with others. As a result, Qualcomm chips will be able to communicate with more than 80 satellites currently in orbit for better connectivity in both urban and suburban environments. Its integration with the new satellite system is a requirement for the European eCall system, which will become a mandatory feature come March, 31 2018 on all new automobiles sold in the region. Communication with the Galileo network plays a key part in the functionality of eCall.

The Snapdragon 400, 600, and 800 series will support the Galileo system through appropriate OTA updates including common SoCs like the 820, 652, 650, 625, 617, 435, and 820A. Snapdragon LTE and Gobi modems will also see support including the X16, X12, X7, X7, 9x15, and MDM6x00 modules. End-users can expect the updates to begin rolling out by this third quarter of 2016.

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