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
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
President Donald Trump has fired one of two Democratic members of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to break a 2-2 tie ahead of the board considering the largest railroad merger ever proposed.
Ford is recalling more than 355,000 of its pickup trucks across the U.S. because of an instrument panel display failure that’s resulted in critical information, like warning lights and vehicle speed, not showing up on the dashboard.
