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A preview of an upcoming feature in the Google Messages app has revealed a placeholder user interface (UI) for sending emergency SOS messages via satellite connectivity. With the introduction of Android 14, Google has already announced that smartphones will be able to communicate directly via satellite. The latest UI discovery provides a glimpse of how emergency SOS messages will appear on Android devices.

The interface shown in the image shared by Neïl Rahmouni on X (formerly Twitter) is a placeholder, indicating that satellite-based emergency SOS support will be integrated into the Messages app rather than being a separate application.

The placeholder elements showcase a messaging interface similar to regular conversations. There is a compose box specifying that the message is “Satellite message” and a character counter on the right side. This suggests that the feature will limit the number of words for an emergency SOS message, which makes sense considering these messages typically have fewer characters than standard text messages.

One notable aspect is that Google Messages allows users to personalize the text of their SOS message, unlike Apple’s Emergency SOS feature, which only provides pre-determined options. Google’s implementation of satellite-enabled messages seems to be more user-friendly in this regard.

Google had previously confirmed its plans to introduce satellite connectivity in the next version of Android, as stated by Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google’s senior vice president of platforms and ecosystems. However, it is currently unknown which Android phones will support satellite connectivity. According to Mishaal Rahman, certain modem hardware may be required for this feature to function, limiting its availability to all Android 14 devices.

The post Google Messages Prepares to Add Satellite Connectivity for Emergency SOS Messages appeared first on ISP Today.