Pixel 10 Pro XL leaked renders
TL;DR
- The Google Pixel 10 series is expected to continue supporting satellite connectivity.
- Code in the Adaptive Connectivity Services app references Pixel 10 models with satellite features.
- The Pixel 10 series is said to come with the Tensor G5 and a new MediaTek T900 modem as Google moves away from Samsung Exynos modems.
The Google Pixel 9 series became the first phones to support Android’s native Satellite SOS service, allowing distressed users to send messages to emergency services without a cellular or Wi-Fi signal. This feature is one you hope you will never need, but it will come in handy when you do. Thankfully, it doesn’t look like Google will be stopping, as we’ve now found clues that suggest even the Pixel 10 series will support satellite connectivity.
An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
AssembleDebug / Android Authority
Amongst other functions, Adaptive Connectivity Services also handles some part of the satellite connection feature. The app code is obfuscated, but we could locate hints that the above code snippet is related to satellite connectivity. Note that the satellite connectivity feature also relies on the Satellite Gateway app for the user-facing functionality.
In the code snippet above, GLBW0 is for the Pixel 10, G4QUR is for the Pixel 10 Pro, and GUL82 is for the Pixel 10 Pro XL. We haven’t yet spotted GU0NP for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but that doesn’t mean it won’t support satellite connectivity, as it could be added to the code later.
The Pixel 10 series is expected to ship with the upcoming Tensor G5 chip, which we’ve previously said will come with the upcoming MediaTek T900 modem. Phones are able to talk to satellites by using standards set up in 3GPP Release 17, which expands 5G to a narrowband format appropriate for NTNs (Non-Terrestrial Networks). The MediaTek T900 modem is expected to support Release 17 or even newer, potentially allowing the Pixel 10 series to support satellite connectivity. With this code discovery, it is looking more likely that the Pixel 10 series will maintain satellite connectivity features despite potentially moving away from Samsung modems.
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