Google takes on Apple by offering free satellite features on Pixel 9

The Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro smartphones were showcased at the Google product launch event on … [+] New York on October 4, 2023. (Photo: Ed Jones/AFP) (Photo: Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

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It looks like more information has emerged about Google's satellite communications capabilities for the Pixel 9 since appearing in an Android update earlier this year.

Taking a closer look at the latest Android 15 beta 4, Android Authority discovered a string referencing a new subscription-based satellite feature called “Pixel Satellite SOS.”

The text displayed is “To use Satellite SOS, Google Messages must be your default SMS app. Satellite SOS is offered free for {2} years.”

The string also suggests that the feature may be coming to older Pixel phones, specifically stating that your Pixel has been updated to support satellite communications.

As Android Authority points out, the Pixel 9 will likely have the feature pre-installed via Android 15, so this update could mean that older devices will get it via an update, or it's a feature that only comes to the Pixel 9 some time after launch. It's also possible that the Pixel 9 is the only Google device with the hardware to support the tool.

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This isn't the first time the Satellite SOS feature has been mentioned: earlier this year, Satellite SOS suddenly appeared in the Safety and Emergency settings submenu on Pixel devices, but there was no way to enable it.

The details in the settings menu explain that when a user makes a call or sends a text message over satellite communication, Google Maps location and details such as name, IMEI number, battery level, email address, emergency contact details and phone number from the caller's Google account will be shared with emergency services. This is also mentioned in the strings of Android 15 beta 4.

Satellite SOS is Google's answer to Apple's iPhone Emergency SOS tool, and like the iPhone's, the Pixel 9's version walks users through the process by asking about the nature of your emergency and offering a choice of services to contact.

And like Apple's version, the beta reference above suggests the service will likely be free for two years. This would be consistent with Apple's original policy, which was later extended for another year. It's not clear what happens after those two years, but the concept of promising two or three years of software service for free is a new trend among smartphone makers. Samsung has repeatedly made it clear that its suite of Galaxy AI tools, which is included in some of its phones, will be free until 2025, but has remained silent about what will happen after the trial period ends.

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