[Music] Apple and Google now both have a satellite SOS feature that lets you get help in an emergency when you're out of self-service range. But how do they compare? Hi, I'm Lexi. Welcome to your weekly dose of all things mobile. You might already know that Apple has had a bit of a head start on emergency SOS via satellite, introduced in 2022 on the iPhone 14. Google, though, has unveiled its own satellite SOS feature on the Pixel 9 series of phones two years later. Now, both of them let you text with emergency services via satellite when you have no Wi-Fi or cell signal, when you're outside in clear view of the sky. Compatible iPhones and Pixel phones can tap into communication satellites. Google partners with Skylo, while Apple partners with Global Star. Those satellites then send the message to a ground station here on Earth, which then relays it to emergency services. But you don't really need to know how any of this works. If you need help, you just dial the emergency number on your phone. So, in the US, that's 911. If

the call doesn't go through because you have no signal. Then you'll see an emergency text option on the iPhone or satellite SOS icon on the Pixel. And it doesn't matter what carrier you have; this feature should work regardless. Now, a really, really important note on emergency SOS via satellite: you should not use this unless it's a real emergency, which is why I'm not calling 911 in this video. I hope that's obvious, but I do want to say it out loud. Instead, there's a demo mode on both the Pixel and the iPhone that we can run through to show you how each would work in a real emergency setting. On the iPhone 14 and later, that's in Settings, Emergency SOS, and scroll down to find the demo under Emergency SOS via satellite. This will turn off cell on your phone temporarily and prompt you to move around to get a clear view of the sky. Now, you might need to keep moving the phone around to keep you pointed at the satellites. On the Pixel 9 series, you can go to Settings, Safety and Emergency, and then find

satellite SOS and try a demo. You'll need to move your phone around to get that satellite icon to center in the shape on the screen, and I found on the picture it usually asks me to hold the phone fairly flat when it does establish the connection. Now, these demos don't show it, but in a real emergency, you'd actually be given a list of questions to answer about the emergency that's happening to help expedite the response. Now, one important thing to note, if you're using a Pixel, that Google Messages will need to be your default messaging app. You'll also need to keep your grip on the bottom half of the phone with the top edges exposed to get the best signal. When it comes to availability, there are some big differences in where you can get access to emergency SOS features. For now, Google Satellite SOS is only available in the US and not in Alaska or Hawaii. Thanks to the 2-year head start that Apple's got, Emergency SOS via Satellite is available in 17 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Japan.

the UK and the US. Google has said that it will be free for the first 2 years on Pixel devices, while Apple also has a 2-year free period. But the company recently said that it would extend free access for the iPhone 14 until November 2025. So, both the iPhone 14 and 15 series will have it for free until then. Hopefully, you'll never need to use either emergency SOS via satellite or satellite SOS, but just in case, you should set up your emergency contacts ahead of time. I know, I know, I sound like your mom, but this is really important. So, if you do need help, your emergency contacts can get notified if you request help through the satellite feature on the iPhone. Go to the health app and then summary, tap your profile picture, then medical ID, then edit, and here you can edit your contact. You might also want to fill out your medical ID info as well if you haven't already. On the Pixel, go to the personal safety app, then your info and emergency contacts. Yes, Apple has had satellite features for longer than Google's phones.

and as you'd expect, there are more things that you can do on the iPhone. Number one, you can contact roadside assistants via satellite. If you have a flat tire or mechanical issue and you don't have a signal, go to the messages app and then start typing roadside into the recipient bar, and it should pop up with roadside assistance via satellite. This only works in the US so far. Number two, you can also share your location off the grid without messaging anybody. Go to the Find My app and tap the Me tab, then My Location via Satellite. This should be available in the same list of countries that emergency SOS is available in. And in iOS 18, you'll also be able to send messages via satellite to friends and family, not just during emergencies. When you're connected, the Dynamic Island will expand to keep you pointed in the right direction of the satellite, and you can text people as normal. Emojis and tapbacks should also work. This is available in the US at first when iOS 18 launches in the fall, with other countries rolling out later.

I'm expecting Google to roll out some more features over time, just like Apple has. In the meantime, Verizon in the US has confirmed that it will bring satellite texting to the Pixel 9 series in the fall, and then the upcoming Galaxy S25 series, also partnering with Boo. You might be wondering how the satellite messaging features we've just talked about differ from something like T-Mobile's partnership with Starlink or AT&T in Verizon's A Space Mobile deal. Well, those satellite services use wireless airwaves that are already found in existing devices, while Skylo and Global Star's connections use a different part of the spectrum called L and S bands. That's why you need a compatible phone with the right hardware. I truly hope you'll never need to use the emergency part of those satellite features, but hopefully now you have a bit more of an idea about how they work. Thanks so much for watching, and I'll catch you next time. See you.

Apple Emergency SOS via Satellite vs. Google Satellite SOS: How They Compare

CNET is the premier destination for explaining and navigating the changing world around us. Through news, product reviews, price comparisons, and more, we’ll tell you what’s new in the parts of modern life that increasingly matter more — from health, home, and money to tech, culture, and climate — and how to get the most out of them.