Summary

  • iPhone 14 popularized satellite connectivity on handheld devices, and Android 15 is catching up with software-level options.
  • Google Maps beta v11.125 code hints at location updates via satellite every 15 minutes, up to 5 times a day.
  • Future flagship Android devices like Google Pixel 9 may feature modems for direct satellite communication to utilize such features in apps.



Apple was the first to popularize satellite connectivity for handheld devices outside specialized military and research applications. Satellite connectivity support on the iPhone 14 allows urgent communication in the absence of cellular networks, and Android 15 is finally bringing similar software-level options to Android. Google is also pushing the envelope of what’s possible with satellite connectivity integrated into apps like Maps.


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Rumors suggest upcoming flagship Android devices like the Google Pixel 9 with feature modems equipped for communicating directly with orbiting satellites. However, popular feature spotter and tipster AssembleDebug on X (formerly Twitter) recently shared concrete evidence buried in the code for Google Maps beta v11.125, suggesting the app would allow interfacing with satellites directly (via Piunikaweb).


New code sightings are stringing us along

Satelitte-gateway-app-Icon-leak
Source: AssembleDebug/X

An icon for the Satellite Gateway app

AssembleDebug spotted three strings of code which suggest Google Maps will allow you to update your location in the app via satellite at 15-minute intervals, up to five times a day. Code strings are usually text descriptors used to explain features to code reviewers and end users, so this sighting could be concrete evidence that Google is developing the functional aspects behind closed doors, even though we haven’t seen it yet.


<string name=”CONNECT_TO_SATELLITE_EXPLAINER_DIALOG_TITLE”>Connect to satellite</string>

<string name=”CONNECT_TO_SATELLITE_EXPLAINER_DIALOG_BUTTON”>Connect to satellite</string>

<string name=”CONNECT_TO_SATELLITE_EXPLAINER_DIALOG_BODY”>You can update your location once every 15 minutes, up to five times a day.</string>

Google usually doesn’t specify timelines for such feature updates, but the company may want to save everything until the Pixel 9 launches with hardware-level support for the tech before showing us everything planned on the software front. That might also be right alongside the Android 15 launch where we should get a full walkthrough of all the OS-level satellite connectivity as well.

Thanks: Moshe