What you need to know
- An Android leak following a recent Canary build suggests Google is looking to expand how useful the OS is for satellite connections.
- A "Satellite" Quick Settings tile was spotted, making it easy for those with plans that support the feature to access it, as well as a "Satellite apps" menu.
- T-Mobile's T-Satellite service launched "Satellite-ready" apps this fall, supporting apps like X, AccuWeather, WhatsApp, and more.
Google has been spotted testing an upcoming feature that the whole of Android can take part in, and it might meet satellite connectivity head-on.
Mishaal Rahman for Android Authority reported a pair of new features under development within a recent Android Canary build. According to the discovery, Google is preparing to introduce better satellite connectivity management for apps and mobile services. Rahman states that Google's code alludes to a "Satellite apps" addition to the overall satellite connectivity settings.
While the standard (already supported) apps are listed here, Rahman clocked other apps like X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, AccuWeather, and Google Weather.
Elsewhere, Rahman noticed that the Android Canary build is preparing a "Satellite" Quick Settings tile. The tile seems to function similarly to your internet or Bluetooth tile; however, Rahman's test displayed "Satellite" as "not available." While that's not entirely strange, considering the method it was discovered, a deeper dive into the early code suggests that this tile is representative of your mobile plan's support.
Rahman claims that Google will bring similar UI behavior to its satellite apps list, too. For this, the company will heavily consider LTE or NB-based satellite plans. The post states that the latter isn't as adept at supporting the bandwidth for texting and voice. Development is still ongoing, so we might not see this arrive until a future Android drop.
Connected in the dark
There's no getting around the fact that cell service providers have been getting in on the satellite game, like T-Mobile when it launched its T-Satellite service this summer. The service brought connectivity to users enrolling in its supported plan for MMS messages, including images, GIFs, videos, and audio clips. Downloading files like an image or GIF was stated to take a minute or two, while videos could take up to 20 minutes to send.
T-Mobile's MMS support joins SMS for regular text messages. The company promised that there would be more to expect for its satellite service, and we saw that take place in October. T-Satellite announced "Satellite-ready" apps for Android and iOS users. Apps like WhatsApp, X (Formerly Twitter), AccuWeather, and more are accessible over its T-Satellite network, keeping users in the loop when their cell signal is gone.
Pixel 9 users reported access to T-Mobile satellite service earlier this year, and then Spectrum and Xfinity users received texting support in March. Most recently, European carrier, Orange, delivered a brief exclusive satellite connectivity window for the Pixel 9 and 10 in November.
