It seems, and this Google Maps thing is another sign of that Google has decided to go all out when it comes to satellite connectivity for Android devicesand we mean especially (though not exclusively) your Google Pixel. It is undoubtedly true that it was Apple who knew how to take the lead in this sense with the iPhone 14 generation and that it has had this exclusivity ever since, but it suggests that in a few months we will see the Google platform step on the accelerator , to reach and perhaps even surpass the proposal from Cupertino.

This is nothing new, many will remember that emergency satellite connectivity was present in many rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S23 at the end of 2022 and that they have become even more powerful compared to the S24 generation, although In the end, neither of them made it to market with said technology.. However, the fact that both Samsung and Qualcomm already have a modem that offers support for this type of connection is a clear sign that the arrival of this technology to Android smartphones is getting closer every day.

So we had at the beginning of March the first evidence that Google has started conducting tests in this regard, and soon after it became clear that its use was not limited to emergencies. And if that wasn’t enough, just a few days ago we were able to see the satellite search feature in action to establish a connection, as it is supposed to work in the future Pixel 9. What can we do about it? mentioned connection?

As we can read in AndroidPolice, Google is testing the integration of satellite connectivity in Google Maps, more specifically in a feature that will allow the Google Maps software to transmit the user’s location multiple times. According to the strings found when analyzing the Google Maps beta v11.125 code, this feature will allow the app’s location to be updated via satellite in 15-minute intervals, up to five times a day.

Instant transmission of our location in case of emergency, which Apple already offers on the iPhone 14 and 15, is extremely useful in an emergency, but the ability to have a location history with five that cover the last 60 minutes. represents more than a substantial improvement in that sense, you can it allows us to determine which direction we are moving (if we do of course) and therefore localization is even easier.