The Trend of Satellite Communication in Smartphones

In the recent years, starting from the Huawei Mate 60 Pro last year, the satellite communication feature in smartphones has been increasingly common. Many domestic smartphone manufacturers have successively adopted this technology. With Google integrating similar functions into native Android, it is expected that more manufacturers will make satellite communication a “standard” feature in their phones. Recently, foreign media discovered that in Google’s latest release of Android 14 PQ3 Beta 1, Google is developing native satellite communication features for Android, which are expected to debut in Android 15.

It is reported that users found the “Satellite SOS” option in the latest p.2024.08 version of Google’s “Adaptive Connectivity Services.” The related feature introduction page also includes a detailed working principle, indicating that this feature allows phones to send emergency messages using satellite communication when cellular and Wi-Fi networks are unavailable. The prototype code displays a new “Satellite Messages” tab in the system settings, including phrases such as “Send and receive messages via satellite.”

Analysts believe that Google’s natively supported satellite communication feature, which has not been officially announced yet, is likely to become a selling point for the Google Pixel 9/Pro phones. Some informants also mentioned that this feature is not limited to Pixel phones only; any phone with the necessary hardware capabilities can implement satellite communication.

This move is expected to encourage more smartphone manufacturers to develop and implement this feature. Currently, many manufacturers have included satellite communication in their phones, but mostly as an additional feature rather than a standard one. With Google integrating similar functions into Android, we may see this feature in more phones in the future, providing better services in some emergency rescue scenarios.

However, many consumers think that satellite communication is somewhat “superfluous” for many people. After all, integrating new functions into hardware requires space and might affect the phone’s design to some extent. The additional costs incurred would also be passed on to consumers. But for the vast majority of consumers who do not venture outdoors frequently, this feature may not be necessary. Moreover, with various brands introducing their own user interfaces, even if satellite communication becomes standard in Android 15, it may not necessarily reach consumers. What is your perspective on this matter?