(Credit: Google)
Not to be outdone by Apple, Google is releasing a satellite-based "SOS" feature for Pixel 9 phones, allowing customers to contact emergency services in cellular dead zones.
"Our newest Pixel 9 devices are the first Android phones to include our new Satellite SOS, so you can contact emergency responders via satellite and share your location,” the company said in a blog post about the devices.
Google was light on details, but the SOS feature will be available first in the US for Pixel 9 phones. (The Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL launch Aug. 22; the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro Fold arrive in September.) Access will be available "regardless of your carrier plan" at no extra cost for the first two years.
A promotional image for the feature shows it works if the phone has a clear view of the sky; the Pixel 9 can then route radio signals to orbiting satellites above to reach emergency services.
(Credit: Google)California company Skylo says it's powering the SOS feature for Pixel 9 phones. Skylo has already been using existing satellites, including Viasat, Echostar, and Strigo, to deliver data and communications to smartphones and IoT devices.
“To bring about this complex technical achievement, Skylo has closely worked with both the Pixel and Android teams at Google to create a comprehensive ‘direct-to-device’ satellite connectivity experience,” the company said in its own announcement. “This is an important milestone on Skylo’s journey of making satellite connectivity accessible and affordable to all.”
However, according to Skylo’s website, the company currently only supports sensor data and SMS messaging, with voice call support “coming soon.” So Google’s Satellite SOS feature appears to be restricted mainly to messaging local police and fire services during an emergency. In contrast, Apple has been using Globalstar's satellite network to supply emergency services and even texts over iMessage.
In Google's case, the Skylo partnership may just be the start of the company's satellite communications ambitions for the Pixel line. Google also recently joined AT&T in investing in another provider called AST SpaceMobile, which is working on using next-generation satellites to beam voice calls and internet data. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Starlink is preparing to deliver its own satellite connectivity for cell phones through T-Mobile later this year.