Satellite SOS is coming to the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, allowing users to contact emergency services without needing a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.
Screenshots from Reddit user winner00 show a notification and info page detailing the new feature. The images were shared to X (formerly Twitter) by Android Authority’s Mishaal Rahman.
As promised, Google is now rolling out Satellite SOS to Google Pixel 9 users in the U.S.Satellite SOS is free for the first two years after activation.The satellite provider is Skylo and the emergency response is handled by Garmin.Thanks to winner00 for the screenshots! pic.twitter.com/92lBbGCjbhAugust 22, 2024
Satellite SOS allows Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro users to communicate with emergency services via non-terrestrial networks such as satellites. The service is currently limited to the US.
The Pixel 9 family’s satellite connectivity comes courtesy of the Exynos 5400 modem in the new Tensor G4 chip. This allows users to connect to non-terrestrial networks via the Release 17 cellular standard.
As Rahman notes, satellite connectivity is provided by SkyLo and the emergency response is handled by Garmin.
Like Apple’s Emergency SOS feature, which also uses satellites, Pixel 9 users will be able to use Google’s version of the service for free for two years. Following this, users will need to pay a subscription fee.
Google has not yet announced which other countries Satellite SOS will become available in, nor the cost of the subscription once the two free years are used up. For reference, Apple’s satellite connectivity service is available in 16 countries, most of which are in Europe and North America.
According to Garmin, Garmin Response provides emergency response services in 150 countries and all of the world’s oceans, though Google is unlikely to provide this level of coverage.
The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are the first Android phones to have satellite connectivity outside of China, where some manufacturers offer the ability to make satellite phone calls directly. As Android Authority notes, the Huawei Mate 60 family has this capability.
For now, both Google and Apple’s satellite services are for emergencies only – but we hope to see these services develop over time.
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jamie.richards@futurenet.com (Jamie Richards)
