SpaceX
Google is set to launch satellite messaging with the release of Android 15, Android 15 Developer Preview 2 page confirmed. Apple’s iPhone 14 debuted satellite connectivity two years back. To catch up with Apple’s new features, Google is pushing Android to its’ limits.
Satellite messaging will allow Android users to send and receive text messages without having a cellular network or wifi through the satellite. This feature is ideal for places where there is no cellular network or network blockage.
Google is collaborating with SpaceX and T-Mobile to make this possible. The partnership was announced in 2022 and aims to make a connection through an LTE device without having to have any hardware modification, special application, or firmware updates.
According to the Developer Preview 2 page, Google will launch a stable version of Android 15 in August 2024.
Only eligible mobile plans and smartphones will be able to avail of this feature. At the start, this feature will be launched exclusively in the United States and the United Kingdom and then it will be pushed into other regions of the world.
For the United States, Google will allow T-Mobile to provide satellite coverage.
Google is also pushing enhancements for multi-language recognition, contactless payments, and PDF interactions. Google also confirmed with the release of Developer Preview 2, that Android will use Rich Communication Services (RCS) application to use satellite connectivity for messages.
Launching a satellite messaging feature will surely earn Android users, but time will tell how users will react to this.
