The satellite communication equipped with Android 14 will work with the Garmin Response service

Following Apple’s integration of satellite emergency communication features in their iPhone 14 series last year, several smartphone brands, including Huawei and Meizu, have begun to embrace satellite communication applications. Subsequently, semiconductor giants like Qualcomm and MediaTek have also incorporated satellite distress call solutions into their processors. In light of these advancements, Google has intimated that the forthcoming iteration of Android will incorporate satellite communication capabilities.

However, Google has remained reticent, refraining from delving into the minutiae of the satellite communication features that the new Android version is set to introduce.

From the code discerned by developer Neil Rahmouni in the Android 14 test version, it becomes evident that Google intends to infuse its operating system with satellite communication functions. This enhancement is expected to primarily liaise through Garmin’s perennial International Emergency Response Coordination Center, aptly named ‘Garmin Response.’

Given that the ‘Garmin Response’ service boasts operability in over 150 countries and regions globally, it is anticipated that Google’s new Android satellite communication service could serve as a beacon of hope, enabling many to summon aid in dire straits via their smartphones. However, ambiguity prevails regarding the financial modalities: whether Google would absorb the costs or if the service would hinge on a specific subscription model.

As for the detailed operational modus operandi, one might have to bide time until Google’s autumn product launch event, where it’s anticipated that this feature would be unveiled in tandem with the new Pixel 8 series smartphone lineup.