The Google Messages app is adding satellite capabilities to ensure users can send emergency texts even without a conventional connection. It comes as the company tries to promote its messaging service to become the users' default.
Google Messages to Come with Satellite Capabilities Via the New Android 14 Operating System
According to Android Police, the company promises to add satellite connectivity through Google's upcoming Android 14. The new feature would boost the users' abilities to connect even without access to conventional connections.
The feature isn't enabled by default, and the company is still laying the software foundation for the connection. So far, Qualcomm has already announced that it will be giving specialized hardware to be included in its Snapdragon chips.
Google Messages App Comes With an Option for Emergency SOS Conversations Through Satellite
So far, the company is also working on another feature of its Messages app interface, which is designed for emergency SOS conversations. These SOS conversations can be done over the satellite.
Tipster @neil_rahmouni was the one who discovered the new part of the app, writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, what people can expect from the UI the moment their phones would come with the required hardware.
The 'Satellite Message' Feature Limits Users on How Many Characters They Can Type
The conversation would feel like users simply communicate through regular text message threads but in a text entry box specifying it's a "Satellite message." The feature also seems to have a counter on the right, showing users how many characters they can put out in a single message.
The tipster revealed screenshots of the app, but the character counter seems to remain broken as it shows a "-1" counting. Since it's still too early to tell, it could also point toward the suggestion that satellite messages will only be able to give users fewer characters compared to conventional SMS.
How's the Android 14 Satellite Connection Compare to the iPhone Emergency SOS Feature
As seen on the discovered interface, users may be able to type out any text they want with the emergency service. However, the UI appears not to be finished, but adding the feature would give it more capabilities compared to the iPhone 14's very own version, the Emergency SOS.
The iPhone's version only limits users to certain types of messages that they can choose from instead of being able to send specific messages through the satellite connection.
So far, Mishaal Rahman has been able to dig up some additional information regarding the "satellite communication APIs" on Android 14. He noted that "everything is marked as 'hide,' so they're not available to third-party apps."
When users try to do an emergency phone call without having any connection, they will reportedly get a module making it possible for the dialer app to give users the option to switch to using a satellite messaging feature instead.
