This device would allow any user with a compatible smartphone to contact the emergency services, even in a white zone.
Sending a message by satellite is a technology that we will never use on a daily basis, but which can save lives when an accident occurs.
Communications that are already saving lives
It is possible that one is, during a hike in the middle of nature or during a road trip, in an area not covered by his operator. Calling a loved one or the emergency services if you are injured or in danger is then impossible. Calls and messages by satellite therefore make it possible to get out of trouble.
Satellite messaging was popularized by Apple, with the release of the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro in 2022. Smartphones can thus connect to a network of satellites stationed around the globe. The interface, very simple and uncluttered, allows you to contact the rescue teams and automatically share your GPS coordinates to allow them to arrive on site as quickly as possible.
The system has already borne fruit, and we have already seen several stories of users who have had their lives saved thanks to this advanced communication system.
Qualcomm announced a few months ago that it was working on an equivalent device, Snapdragon Satellite, which will work with devices equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen2 mobile processor and the X70 modem. Google was responsible for integrating the necessary software devices for Android 14, the next major update to the operating system that will arrive in the coming weeks.
Google Messages will accommodate the necessary bricks for sending messages by satellite
The search engine will go further by offering support for emergency messages by satellite directly from its own instant messenger, Google Messages, and should not develop a specialized application for the occasion.
It was a user of X.com (formerly Twitter), Neïl Rahmouni, who managed to get his hands on the various interface elements put in place by Google. He thus shows us a screenshot corresponding to what we should obtain in the coming weeks. The window doesn’t look any different from a normal chat window, except for the mention of sending a satellite message.
Google has given no indication of whether this feature will be available to users. Nevertheless, the firm could logically talk about it at greater length during the presentation of the Google Pixel 8, which could accommodate the hardware necessary to access the partner satellite network.
Source : AndroidAuthority
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