Personal security is one of the aspects that Google has focused on the most in the latest versions of Android and its Pixel phones. A good example is accident detection, a function that automatically notifies emergencies if it detects an impact when we are in the car; Now another function is added to the list, which can help us if we find ourselves in an equally dangerous situation.
We are talking about satellite communication, a technology that some of the latest mobile phones launched last year already have; Although its adoption is still in its infancy, it has the potential to prove a real lifesaver in many situations where users do not have phone coverage.
Now this technology is coming to Pixel phones by surprise, perhaps by mistake. As EL ESPAÑOL – El Androide Libre was able to verify, A new feature called “Satellite SOS” suddenly appeared among the rest of the security features of Pixel phones. The curious thing is that the function seems to be present in all devices in the range, whether or not they have the necessary hardware to use it.
Satellite connection with Pixel
Everything indicates that Google made a mistake, because the new satellite communication option does not work at all, at least for the moment. To find it, simply enter the Mobile configuration, and in the “Security and emergencies” section; There, just below “Emergency SOS”, we will find a new button called “Satellite SOS”.
However, if we touch this new button, we will see that it does nothing; A new screen does not open or multiple options appear. At 9to5Google they were able to use a Pixel mobile with “root” to force this function to run, and they found a new screen dedicated to satellite communication, which offers more information.
Satellite SOS function present in Pixel phones
Free Android
This page explains that the Pixel mobile will allow you to make satellite calls, in addition to sending SMS and even share our location using Google Maps; The latter will be particularly useful for finding people lost in areas without coverage, such as forests or mountainous areas.
When you use this feature, Google automatically will share their name and phone number associated with our Google account, as well as information related to the mobile, such as IMEI and remaining battery level. It will also include the data of the three users we have configured as “emergency contacts”. This function is therefore designed exclusively for emergencies and cannot under any circumstances be used to send a WhatsApp to a friend, for example.
The big mystery is why Google enabled this section if it cannot be used yet. Everything indicates that Google made a mistake, and not only did they activate it in advance, but they also did it on devices that would not be compatible. For satellite communication, additional components are required for the 5G modem of our mobile phone. Some of the chips that would already be compatible are the new Qualcomm Snapdragon and Samsung’s new Exynos 2400; The Tensor G used by the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 is also rumored to have “hidden” satellite functions, but this has not been confirmed by Google.
