Google Messages preparing to add emergency SOS over satellite

Google Messages will quickly allow you to ship emergency SOS messages through satellite tv for pc connectivity. As noticed by X (Twitter) person Neïl Rahmouni and reported by Mishaal Rahman, Google has begun including the UI parts for emergency SOS through satellite tv for pc in its Messages app.

Rahman notes the SOS exercise is only a placeholder within the app for now. It doesn’t show that the subsequent Pixel telephones or some other system will assist satellite tv for pc communication. Nonetheless, it exhibits that Google is trying to place the service inside its messaging app fairly than a very new app.

Google has already introduced that Android 14 will permit smartphones to attach with satellites immediately. An identical satellite tv for pc connectivity function on present iPhones has helped save a number of lives, most not too long ago throughout the unlucky Hawaii wildfires.

It is sensible for Google to combine emergency SOS through satellite tv for pc inside the Google Messages app because it’s the default messaging app on most Android telephones. Nonetheless, it’s unclear which telephones will assist the function and the way Google will implement it. As Rahman famous in a previous post on X, satellite tv for pc assist on Android will rely on the modem {hardware} of your system. Not each system operating Android 14 will be capable to assist satellite tv for pc connectivity.

It’s believed that each the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 sequence have the {hardware} for satellite tv for pc communication. Nonetheless, they are going to want a major firmware replace to allow satellite tv for pc connectivity.