The company explores the challenges it needed to address to bring the satellite SOS feature to life.
Google elaborated on its reasoning and the challenges faced in developing the satellite SOS functionality for the Pixel Watch 4. The company states that the Pixel Watch 4 will automatically switch to satellite SOS if conventional cell networks are unavailable. Users must respond to a questionnaire that will be sent to emergency services regarding their situation. Additional emergency/safety features comprise Crash Detection and Fall Detection.
Satellite connectivity has been implemented to ensure you remain connected even in the absence of a reliable cell network, which Google has incorporated into its watch.
Google launched Satellite SOS on the Pixel Watch 4 (LTE), and the company’s recent Keyword post clarifies how it all came together. To create a user-friendly satellite SOS—especially in scenarios where the screen cannot be utilized, as noted by Google’s Sharath Ananth—the company had to assess “positioning interface, audio signals, and haptic feedback.” Some of these signals are even available during the initial launch phase of satellite SOS, along with a guide on how to orient the device.
From the outset, Google acknowledged a limitation of the Pixel Watch 4: its lack of antennas compared to a typical phone. In essence, Google explains that the device cannot connect to all networks at once, so the Pixel Watch 4 has been designed to switch over if terrestrial networks fail.
The device is reported to provide a satellite option to maintain connectivity when attempting to contact emergency services. If users choose to participate, Google asserts that the Watch 4 will present a questionnaire to gather all pertinent information before transmitting it.
Sharath Ananth, Google’s lead engineer for the Pixel Watch, notes that the satellite SOS mode effectively keeps you engaged until help arrives. Ananth states, “…emergencies can be overwhelming, so we aimed to simplify the process of obtaining assistance.” Once 911 has responded, users can tap “help has arrived” or “I don’t need help anymore” to resume full access to their Pixel Watch 4 with apps and additional features.
Maintaining communication
Assisting individuals during emergencies is fundamental to a feature like satellite SOS. Ananth mentions that this capability is not only for adventurers on treks but also for everyone else, saying, “I think about getting stranded anywhere, and if your phone isn’t operational or if you’re injured, this allows you to still initiate satellite SOS from your wrist.”
While Google has invested significant effort behind the scenes, including testing in U.S. National Parks to perfect this, it is also utilizing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 2. Upon the chip’s announcement, it was indicated that the Pixel Watch 4 is the first smartwatch to integrate this new wearable SoC. Although its performance is just adequate, this chip enables support for Skylo’s Narrowband Non-Terrestrial Network (NB-NTN), facilitating satellite messaging.
Additional emergency/safety functionalities on the Pixel Watch 4 include Crash Detection and Fall Detection.
