(Credit: Eric Zeman/PCMag)
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In a first for smartphones, Pixel 10 devices will support satellite calling through WhatsApp.
Google posted a short video demo of the feature. The clip shows a Pixel 10 connected via satellite receiving a call on WhatsApp. We didn't get an idea of the voice quality.
“Pixel devices will be the first to offer voice and video calls on WhatsApp over a satellite network starting 8/28,” Google tweeted. That's the day the Pixel 10 ($799), Pixel 10 Pro ($999), and Pixel 10 Pro XL officially launch.
The satellite calling could be especially helpful if you end up in a cellular dead zone. But according to the Google clip, the feature “is limited to participating carriers.” SpaceX has been teasing its involvement, suggesting the company’s cellular Starlink service can power voice and video calling through WhatsApp. A company VP for Starlink Engineering, Michael Nicolls, reposted the clip, adding: “Voice and video coming to Starlink direct-to-cell!”
The cellular Starlink service is currently available through T-Mobile, which charges $10 a month per access for most consumers. It already supports satellite texting, including images, audio, and video clips. But SpaceX is also working to bring voice and video calling to the system.
Google’s announcement is a bit strange, though, since T-Mobile itself hasn’t touted the WhatsApp feature for August 28th. Instead, the carrier has only said Pixel 10 devices will receive support to transmit satellite data to three Google apps once the phones launch on Thursday. That said, the cellular Starlink service is supposed to support a larger number of mobile apps, including WhatsApp, starting this October 1st.
The satellite calling feature undoubtedly stands out, but one big question is how well it works and whether SpaceX’s cellular Starlink service has enough bandwidth to power it without interruption. A study in June estimated that the cellular Starlink system was capable of 4Mbps download rates.
We’ve reached out to Google, T-Mobile, and WhatsApp’s parent Meta for more information and we’ll update the story if we hear back.
AT&T and Verizon have also been working on their own satellite-to-phone service through Texas-based startup AST SpaceMobile. But it might not kick off its own beta for several more months. In the meantime, Verizon has been tapping a company called Skylo to offer only satellite-based text messaging for Pixel 10 phones.