In this photo illustration, a Motorola logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The race to connect smartphone users with satellites just got a little more crowded. British mobile company Bullitt is releasing a satellite-enabled smartphone with 5G connectivity and a 6.6 inch-display. It will come in two versions: the Caterpillar-branded Cat S75 and the "rugged" Motorola Defy 2, which may be more familiar to North American outdoor enthusiasts.
"Adding assured connectivity with two-way satellite messaging broadens the appeal of the Motorola Defy 2 to anyone who finds themselves outside of traditional messaging coverage," said Dave Carroll, the vice president of strategic brand partnerships at Motorola. "We look forward to bringing the Motorola Defy 2 to a new segment of mobile phone users in the coming months."
The phone will be able to beam messages a distance of 22,000 miles to satellites orbiting above the equator, which will then be sent back down as standard SMS messages.
The upside for consumers is that their phones will now have connectivity in the large sections of the planet that still have limited or no connectivity.
This kind of satellite connectivity is becoming more common in the mobile market. Apple's iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models, for instance, allow Emergency SOS via satellite. Apple is also spending $450 million to expand its satellite networking infrastructure.
In addition, chipmaker Qualcomm is working with communications giant Iridium to bring satellite connectivity to Android phones using new Snapdragon chips.
"This is the definition of democratizing satellite communications and ensures customers are able to be in constant communication whenever they need it," said Dave Floyd, co-founder of Bullitt
OpenAI has appointed Slack CEO Denise Dresser as its first chief of revenue. Dresser will oversee global revenue strategy and help businesses integrate AI into daily operations. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently emphasized improving ChatGPT, which now has over 800 million weekly users. Despite its success, OpenAI faces competition from companies like Google and concerns about profitability. The company earns money from premium ChatGPT subscriptions but hasn't ventured into advertising. Altman had recently announced delays in developing new products like AI agents and a personal assistant.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
U.S. sports betting is booming as NFL and college football fuel massive activity. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt breaks down trends, growth, and what’s next.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
Disney's changes to a program for disabled visitors are facing challenges in federal court and through a shareholder proposal. The Disability Access Service program, which allows disabled visitors to skip long lines, was overhauled last year. Disney now mostly limits the program to those with developmental disabilities like autism who have difficulty waiting in lines. The changes have sparked criticism from some disability advocates. A shareholder proposal submitted by disability advocates calls for an independent review of Disney's disability policies. Disney plans to block this proposal, claiming it's misleading. It's the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while stopping past abuses by some theme park guests.
