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recently, qianxun position released a new device that allows every mobile phone and even every smart device to have independent satellite communication capabilities.

image source: qianxun location

to put it simply, qianxun position released a "two-way beidou satellite communication terminal": this is an independent satellite communication terminal the size of a small power bank, with the ability to independently connect to beidou satellites. in addition to being able to connect to satellites, this communication terminal can also connect to smartphones via bluetooth. users only need to edit text messages in the mobile app to send them via satellite through the communication terminal, or receive messages in reverse.

or in more straightforward terms, this is an external satellite communication module with bluetooth connection.

for 999 yuan, any mobile phone can have satellite communication

the satellite terminal launched by qianxun location has been sold on the e-commerce platform, priced at 999 yuan, including three years of tariff (1,500 text messages). from a cost-effective perspective, the independent satellite terminal solution is obviously far better than "buying a satellite communication mobile phone." in last year’s review of huawei mate 60 pro, lei technology mentioned:

if you have a normal smartphone, there is no need to buy a phone that can directly connect to satellites for these very few scenarios. even if you do have a lot of outdoor work, a dedicated satellite phone will be a better choice. satellite communication is an "icing on the cake" function in china. there is no need to buy a satellite communication mobile phone specifically for this.

image source: qianxun location

in august 2023, huawei released the mate 60 pro smartphone, setting off a wave of direct satellite connection for mass smartphones. soon, xiaomi and other brands quickly followed suit, and direct satellite connection became a must-have feature for flagship phones at the time. but perhaps because the domestic network infrastructure is too advanced, satellite communications originally used for emergencies are not used most of the time.

although users don't use it very much, the cost increase brought by satellite communication modules to mobile phones has actually increased the selling price of flagship mobile phones. some mobile phone brands have even bundled satellite communication functions with product series in a "super-large" package, which has caused consumer resistance.

image source: lei technology

on one side are meaningless cost increases, on the other side are consumers who are complaining. there is no need to say much about the choice of brands - many flagship mobile phones have given up satellite communication solutions in 2024, and only a few brands are still persisting.

xiaolei thought that the satellite communication function would fade away from the smartphone category, but now qianxun position provides users with a new choice.

no matter in terms of mobile phones or product forms, there is no intention to "replace smartphones". instead, it is more like a "dlc" that can provide additional expansion functions for mobile phones. in daily life, it will not bring extra burden to the mobile phone. but when you really need to go deep into the wild, bringing it will not affect the normal use of your smartphone - many people don't know that when using the satellite direct connection function to make calls, your phone must always be pointed at the satellite; but with qianxun location the experience of sending text messages through a terminal is actually no different from opening wechat to send messages.

xiaolei also boldly estimates here that in the future, there should be businesses providing leasing services for such satellite terminals, fully improving the utilization rate of satellite communications, a very niche product.

image source: qianxun location

from another perspective, the emergence of qianxun location satellite terminal actually reveals the "premium" behind the satellite communication functions of smartphones in the past. excluding the package fee, the purchase cost of qianxun location is about 800 yuan. if you integrate it into a mobile phone, the price premium may be close to 500 yuan. the cost of 500 yuan can be used to upgrade the battery, screen, storage or camera, or add a satellite module to the phone. when this multiple-choice question is placed in front of consumers, how will consumers choose?

give users the right to choose, a spiritual sequel to modular mobile phones?

although xiaolei has no plans to use satellite communications in the short term, nor will he go deep into the mountains and forests where there is no signal. but from the perspective of the mobile phone industry, i do appreciate qianxun’s approach of stripping non-used functions from smartphones. to a certain extent, qianxun’s approach can actually be regarded as the spiritual sequel to modular mobile phones.

modular mobile phones are essentially the continuation of the pc diy concept on the mobile side. for desktop computers, no one would deliberately propose the concept of modularity, because mainstream desktop computers are always in a highly customized state, and a series of components such as power supply, memory, hard drive, graphics card, and monitor can be replaced extremely easily.

the concept of modular mobile phones is somewhat similar to diy pcs, but its purpose is not to create a "high-performance" pc, but to keep the mobile phone streamlined in daily use so that the mobile phone can be "expanded" at different times. cope with different scenarios.

image source: moto

many mobile phone brands have launched modular mobile phone products in the past, such as lg g5 and moto z. unlike google ara, which is a completely broken concept phone, g5 and moto z can only install one expansion module at a time. this "one module at a time" approach is not only more in line with the development of mobile phone technology, but also more in line with consumer usage habits. it's a pity that this "hard-wired" module is highly tied to the design of the mobile phone and cannot be used on other mobile phones.

qianxun's "wireless module" brings another modular idea to mobile phone brands: the design of wireless connections allows the module to be used universally on different mobile phones, rather than becoming a dedicated accessory for a certain mobile phone. in my opinion, this is the characteristic that future "modular mobile phones" should have.

modular mobile phones are dead, modular mobile phone functions will live forever

looking back at the history of mobile phone development, many brands have actually left their own traces in the direction of modular mobile phones. for example, the qx1 modular camera released by sony in 2014 was the first to propose the concept of "wireless module":

qx1 is essentially a mirrorless camera without a screen or lens. after installing an ef lens, users can wirelessly control the qx1 to shoot with their mobile phone. at the same time, there is also a mobile phone clip on the back of the qx1, which can be clamped on the back of the mobile phone, giving the mobile phone the ability to use professional camera lenses.

image source:sony

due to the wireless transmission technology at the time, the experience of qx1 was actually not good. the too advanced product concept and the ultra-high price of us$399 also resulted in very few sales of qx1. but from the perspective of the modular industry, qx1 can indeed be regarded as an "industry pioneer."

of course, some people may think that "external accessories" cannot be considered "modular". after all, under this concept, bluetooth headsets, game controllers, cooling back clips and even mobile power supplies can be called "modular accessories" in a broad sense. but in my opinion, bluetooth headsets, mobile power supplies and other accessories just prove that "modularity" is not some wild imagination.

the increasingly abundant mobile phone accessories market has broadened the usage of mobile phones, and accessories such as bluetooth headsets, game controllers, cooling back clips, and mobile power supplies have proven the feasibility of modular mobile phones with examples. without these accessories, mobile phone brands would be required to integrate earbuds, handles, cooling fans, and 20,000 mah batteries into mobile phones, and our mobile phones would only become real bricks.

image source: razer

it is precisely because the mobile phone industry has stripped these "non-core" functions from mobile phones and packaged them in the form of separate products that users in need can use them when needed, that mobile phones have developed today. stripping away non-core functions and letting users in need make their own choices, isn’t this the ultimate goal of the “modularization” i just mentioned. since functions such as listening to music and long battery life can be achieved through "external modules", the concept of using external modules to implement satellite communications is still feasible.

looking to the future, mobile phone modularization in a broad sense may open up a new technology ecosystem. with the diversification and personalization of user needs, open modular platforms may give birth to new industrial chains, encourage more innovative companies to participate in competition, and bring richer choices to users.

from a user perspective, modular design also gives them greater autonomy and participation. users no longer passively accept the manufacturer's preset functional configurations, but can actively choose and customize their own devices. this can redefine the relationship between consumers and manufacturers and promote a more open and interactive market environment.

image source: moto

in general, modular mobile phones in a broad sense represent a user-centered design approach that emphasizes functional flexibility and scalability. it provides a new direction for the development of the industry and brings more space for users to choose independently.

in the future, maybe we no longer need to discuss whether to spend 5,000 yuan to buy a "super large" mobile phone, because as long as you are willing, you can even buy satellite communications just like buying a bluetooth headset. you can buy a module to connect it anytime and anywhere. by then, who would go out of their way to buy a “top version” just for one or two functions?

the development of technology will always bring more choices and better experiences. of course, our wallets will also be a little lighter.