Google’s Android 14 Tipped to Bring iPhone-Like Satellite Connectivity Support for SMS

Satellite connectivity feature aids users in areas with no cellular or WiFi network.

Written by Himani Jha, Edited by Manas Mitul | Updated: 25 July 2023 19:40 IST

Google’s Android 14 Tipped to Bring iPhone-Like Satellite Connectivity Support for SMS

Pixel and Galaxy phones will likely be the first to get Android 14’s satellite connectivity support

Highlights

Google has recently announced Android 14 Beta 4
The OS update is said to bring several improvements
Android 14 beta is also available to Pixel Fold users

Google rolled out the Android 13 OS last year and now it is set to introduce the next Android version, Android 14, later this year. While Android 14 is still in the beta phase, expected features and improvements included with the next version of Google's mobile operating system have already emerged on the Internet. Android 14 has now been tipped to bring satellite connectivity support to smartphones, which will let users send emergency message alerts without using cellular or WiFi coverage. The feature was also introduced by Apple on the last year's iPhone 14 series.

TeamPixel (Twitter @GooglePixelFC) in its latest tweet, has shared that the upcoming Android 14 will bring satellite connectivity support for SMS along with other features to supported smartphones with required hardware. It has also been said that Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phone users will likely be the first to get their hands on this feature. Satellite-based communication requires hardware support and the availability of the feature on other Android smartphones would thus depend on the manufacturer.

When supported, the functionality will help smartphone users to send SMS via satellite connectivity in remote areas where cellular network or WiFi is not accessible.

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Apple introduced the emergency SoS via satellite feature last year with iPhone 14 series launch. However, the feature was only made available in the US and Canada at the time of launch. Later, it was expanded to more countries including the UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Portugal. The feature not only lets users communicate with emergency services but also allows them to search for their location and share it with friends and family using the Find My app.

Meanwhile, Google released the Android 14 Beta 4 update to eligible Pixel users earlier this month. It has been said that the latest Android 14 beta version is suitable for testing and general use. It is said to bring several fixes and system performance improvements. The Android 14 Beta 4 is also available for the Pixel Fold and the Pixel Tablet.

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iPhone 14

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Good overall performance
Great camera quality in daylight
iOS ecosystem and ease of use

Bad
Dated design and notch
Very similar to iPhone 13
Relatively slow charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 review

Display 6.06-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1170x2532 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

Google Pixel Fold

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display (Primary) 7.60-inch

Processor Google Tensor G2

Front Camera 9.5-megapixel + 8-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 10.8-megapixel + 10.8-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB

Battery Capacity 4821mAh

OS Android 13

Resolution 2208x1840 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

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