Summary
- Google is set to introduce satellite connectivity with a new UI on the Pixel 9 running Android 15 for improved emergency services.
- Users will be able to center a satellite using tilt or left/right movements on their phone to stay connected in no-network zones.
- Android’s satellite pointing UI will allow notifying emergency contacts, answering questions, and faster help forwarding for improved safety.
Apple introduced satellite connectivity with the launch of the iPhone 14 in 2022. Despite efforts from Qualcomm, satellite connectivity has not yet become mainstream in the Android ecosystem. The best smartphones launched this year so far miss out on this feature. Multiple signs point to Google working with T-Mobile to integrate satellite connectivity in Android 15 with a twist. It also plans to use a new Exynos modem on the Pixel 9 series, enabling it to talk to satellites. A new leak has now revealed the Android satellite pointing UI, supposedly a part of Android 15, showcasing how the feature will work.
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A clear view of the sky is important for your phone to connect to a satellite. Google plans to help you with this and provide detailed instructions, as shown in the video below shared by @Nail_Sadykov on the Google News Telegram channel. The UI will supposedly appear on the Pixel 9 running Android 15 when you trigger emergency services in a no-network zone.
As the video shows, Google will provide detailed instructions, asking you to tilt the phone or move it left or right to connect to the satellite. The setup window can turn into a floating window, enabling you to stay in touch with emergency services as you try to improve your phone’s satellite connectivity coverage.
As previously detailed, before the satellite UI appears, you will also have the option to notify your emergency contacts that you need help. After this, you must answer predefined questions, with the information presumably being forwarded to emergency services so that relevant help can get to you faster. This is in contrast to how the feature works on iPhones, where your only option is to contact emergency services.
Presumably, the satellite pointing UI will only be available on next-gen Pixel devices, like the Pixel 9 and Pixel Fold 2. These devices will reportedly ship with a new Exynos 5400 modem featuring support for 5G non-terrestrial networks.
Satellite connectivity in Android should become official in late October, alongside the release of Android 15 and the Pixel 9 series. Given the complexities involved, however, expect the feature to initially launch only in the US.
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