With this feature, you’ll still be able to navigate Google Maps without a connection.
Google Maps will reportedly use satellites when you’re offline. Credit: PST Vector / Shutterstock.com
Google Maps will reportedly tap into satellite connectivity for instances when you cannot connect to Wi-Fi nor a cellular network.
How do we know? According to PiunikaWeb, new code references in Google Maps beta v11.125 indicate the app can determine users’ location via satellite connectivity.
Google Maps’ satellite connectivity could be ‘life saving’
PiunikaWeb reported that the new strings hint that users will have the option to update their location in Google Maps every 15 minutes, up to five times a day, via satellite connectivity. This could be a life-saving feature if you’re in an out-of-range area without a network.
Keep in mind, however, that this feature will only work on devices with satellite connectivity. There is scuttlebutt that the Google Pixel 9 series will have the feature, which can also be found on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models.
We’re also seeing rumors that Android 15 will support satellite-enabled texting. As we reported in early April, this feature may offer a big leg up over iPhone. According to 9to5Google, with Android 15, you’ll be able to text anyone with satellite-based texting, not just emergency services.
With chatter about satellite-based texting and navigation, it looks like Google may be diving in head first with satellite connectivity. The Mountain View-based tech giant is set to host its next big event, Google I/O, on May 14. Perhaps we’ll get a sneak peek of Google’s plans then.
Kimberly Gedeon is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She’s drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it’s a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.
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