Good news, Pixel 9 owners. Your phone’s “Satellite SOS” feature will be free for another year.
Google introduced the feature in August 2024 for the Pixel 9 line, giving users a way to reach first responders and share their locations even in cellular dead zones. But at the time, Google said the feature would be free only for the first two years.
Two years later, Google’s support page still says the satellite-based SOS feature is free for the “first two years after activation.” But a spokesperson has now clarified that it will offer it for another year to Pixel 9 owners.
“Confirming that we’ve extended this offering, at no additional cost, for one additional year. We have no details to share beyond that at this time,” the spokesperson told PCMag on Tuesday after we asked whether Google would start charging for access.
Apple has done the same with its satellite offering. Starting with the iPhone 14, Apple said Emergency SOS would be free for two years on new smartphones, but the company has extended that deadline multiple times.
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In Google’s case, the company taps satellites from Mountain View-based Skylo on Pixel devices. Skylo is moving to use Globalstar’s satellites, which also power satellite features on the iPhone, to expand the number of mobile devices it can support for satellite services.
Earlier this year, Amazon announced it was acquiring Globalstar to expand its own presence in the satellite-to-phone market, positioning it as a potential rival to SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile. Both are now racing to develop next-gen satellite constellations with far faster speeds and coverage. Hence, consumers can expect to see more robust satellite connectivity for phones down the line, but that service probably won’t be free.
About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Principal Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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