The Upcoming Satellite Feature In Google Maps Will Let You Check Your Location Even When Offline
Are you someone who regularly finds yourself in regions far out of cellular range? Perhaps when hiking, camping, or anything of the sort? A lot of enthusiasts carry around dedicated GPS units for navigation, but with satellite connectivity, a phone with satellite connectivity and Google Maps may be able to provide a very basic form of this functionality.
Thanks to AssembleDebug and PiunikaWeb, we now know that there’s code in the latest beta of Google Maps pointing towards an upcoming satellite feature. This feature is supposedly going to allow you to use Google Maps in a limited fashion even when your phone is offline. The major limitations are you’ll only be able to update your location in the app via satellite five times a day and each one needs to be at least 15 minutes apart from the last.
This means that you can see exactly where you are on the map even when you don’t have access to the internet, and people who you have location sharing enabled with will also be able to receive that update on where you are. Since there isn’t a continuous connection to the satellites, you won’t be able to use it for real-time navigation. However, if you get lost, it will make it a little easier to figure out where you are or get help from people.
Google’s Pixel 9 Series Is Expected To Join Constellation Of Phones With Satellite Support
Later this year, we’re expecting to see Google release its next flagship series: the Google Pixel 9 family (which is rumored to come with three devices this year, and not two). While I’m looking forward to seeing how Google will attempt to integrate its heavily pushed Gemini AI model into these new phones, I’m also excited to see satellite connectivity make its way to the Pixel series. At the moment, almost all phones with this feature are targeted towards the Chinese market.
Google Messages is also expected to take advantage of this satellite functionality as well as having an SOS feature similar to what Apple has had for two generations (though Google seems primed to do a lot more with satellite support).
Several other flagship phones tote satellite connectivity at this point but they are mostly from Chinese manufacturers, including the Huawei Pura 70 Pro+ and 70 Pro Ultra, the ZTE Axon 60 Ultra, Oppo Find X7 Ultimate, and the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4. These phones support satellite features in China but it remains to be seen whether they’ll support this new Google Maps feature outside of their home country.
