In Depth: Will Satellite Smartphones Take Off?

More brands follow Huawei, which features the revamped technology in its current flagship, creating bandwidth bottleneck concerns

As a weaker economy drives Chinese consumers to hold onto their handsets for longer, phone brands are looking to a revamped technology to stimulate interest: satellite calling.

When Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. released the Mate 60 Pro in August, it set tongues wagging about how the heavily-sanctioned telecoms gear giant was able to procure the advanced, 7-nanometer semiconductors which powered the phones.

But the device was intriguing for another reason. Huawei billed it as the world’s first smartphone to allow users to beam calls via satellite: a potentially lifesaving technology for people in remote areas who need emergency assistance.

Domestic rivals Honor Device Co. Ltd.’s Magic 6 Pro and the satellite version of Oppo Co. Ltd.’s Find X7 Ultra, both launched in January, also feature satellite calling functions.