In emergency situations, Google Messages may let users to send SMS via “satellite connectivity,” but there is a catch

While we have been impatiently awaiting the launch of Android 14, rumors and leaks often allude to the operating system’s upcoming improvements. The most recent development came from Android researcher Mishaal Rahman, who announced through his X (formerly Twitter) account that the Google Messages app would allow satellite connection to transmit SOS notifications.

While the technology is currently beneficial to iPhone users worldwide, according to Rahman (who learned about the capability through Neel Rahmouni), it may soon be available on Android-powered phones since the emergency SOS action is just a placeholder in the app. Therefore, it could make its debut in a later edition.

It seems like Google Messages is really getting ready to introduce satellite connectivity functionality. On X, @neil_rahmouni stated that “they’ve added UIs for conversations and SOS messages using satellite connection.”

The Android specialist continues by noting that the tech behemoth has already made it clear that it is developing satellite compatibility for the next OS. It would be easier to eliminate the need to maintain a separate app for different types of communication if Google Messages became the default app on smartphones from various manufactures.

Also read: Google May Launch iPhone-Like Battery Health Options To Banish Your Backup Anxieties in Android 14 Features

Although satellite connection application programming interfaces (APIs) were included in Android 14, they were buried and unavailable to developers, according to Rahman. There will be a “demo mode” for the satellite service. SOS messages and location sharing are among the datagrams that are supported, he said in an earlier article. The functionality will be reliant on “modem hardware” and won’t be supported by all Android 14-powered devices.

In terms of more improvements, Android 14 is said to have a battery health check tool similar to iPhones to track battery statistics. Additionally, it will include additional privacy-focused features. The business recently revealed Android 14 Beta 5, which was surprising given that the tech community was waiting for a final version. For more information, go here.