Satellite messaging and phone calls may not be a brand-new thing, but Apple arguably popularized it with its“Emergency SOS” featurethat it introduced with the iPhone 14 in 2022. Two years later, Google seems to be getting ready to launch a similar feature on its Pixel phones, though it’s unclear which exactly will be supported. A settings page reveals a new “Satellite SOS” feature that doesn’t work just yet.
The new “Satellite SOS” is showing up on some Pixels within the “Safety & Emergency” settings. In our testing, tapping the entry doesn’t lead anywhere right now. TheGoogle News Telegram channel could activate it, though, and pins the appearance of the feature to an update to the ‘Adaptive Connectivity Services,’ bringing them up to version p.2024.08.
According to the description uncovered by Google News, Satellite SOS will kick in when you don’t have Wi-Fi or a mobile connection, making it possible to call or text emergency services. While Google is still light on details, it looks like you’ll have to answer a handful of questions about your situation just like on an iPhone. These details will then get sent to emergency services automatically. Along with your answers, some key information about you is sent along, including your name, email, and phone number but also your phone’s IMEI. The last explanation page also includes a link to an insurance plan from Garmin.
It’s currently entirely unclear which phones will support this feature, though. It’s possible that it’s only coming to future Pixel phones like theGoogle Pixel 9, as it might require extra hardware. The settings page may have shown up in error on current models. In a best case scenario, satellite connectivity could somehow still make it to currently available phones, which would make them a lot more valuable in case of an emergency while out hiking or in otherwise remote locations. Given the seven years of updates that the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are slated to receive, having a feature like this available on them for the long run would be invaluable.
