We’ve known about Google cooking up its Satellite SOS feature since early March, with Pixel 9 lineup owners expected to be able to connect to satellites that fly high above earth’s surface to provide access to emergency communications in remote locations or places that simply don’t have good cell service.
Similar to how this works on Apple’s latest iPhone models with Emergency SOS, it’s reported now that Google will offer Satellite SOS free to Pixel owners for two years. Once that two years is up, Google will likely start charging for the feature.
As mentioned, Apple offers the same thing — two years of free use following activation of your iPhone. However, Apple has yet to provide pricing for the feature, so it’s hard to guess how much something like this could cost users. $10/year? $2/month? We have no idea.
Whether the feature itself is useful isn’t up for debate. It’s a quick Google to find people whose lives were saved thanks to the added satellite connectivity. Especially for those who find themselves on hikes and out where there is limited cell service, Satellite SOS and Emergency SOS can be a real life saver.
Is it a feature you’d pay for? If so, how much?