Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold to receive satellite connection for a fee

The Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 can already make emergency calls via satellite when the smartphones are outside the cellular network, and with the update to iOS 18, the iPhone also supports text messages via the satellite network. Android Authority has now found new clues in the fourth beta version of Android 15 that Google is officially developing support for satellite emergency calls for Android smartphones.

As this feature is referred to in the code as "Pixel Satellite SOS", the Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are likely to be the first smartphones to benefit from the feature. This fits in with earlier rumors that the smartphones will receive a new Samsung Exynos 5400 modem with support for NTN satellite networks. The code also indicates that satellite messages can only be sent via Google Messages and that the use of the Pixel Satellite SOS network will be free of charge for two years with the purchase of a new Pixel smartphone.

This is also similar to the Apple iPhone, although neither Apple nor Google have stated how much the satellite subscription will cost or whether there is a way to make an emergency call in an emergency without a subscription. The code contains a message according to which eligible Pixel smartphones require an update in order to be able to use satellite emergency calls, which suggests that this feature will not be available directly at launch on August 13, or will at least be limited to selected regions.