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/e/OS for the Fairphone 6 is here, GrapheneOS on the Pixel 10 still needs time
by Jan Johannsen
The Whatsapp satellite function is here - but only for Pixel 10 devices
28/8/2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Michelle Brändle
Google is introducing an exclusive function for the new Pixel 10: From now on, selected users in the USA can send messages and make calls using Whatsapp via a satellite connection.
Notifications via satellite were previously limited to written and one-way communication. With the new Pixel 10 devices, Google is expanding this function so that you can now also make messages and calls via Whatsapp - without any wireless connection at all.
Why is this such a big deal? Because it's no longer just about emergencies, but a real communication solution for everyday life in areas without network coverage - such as when hiking, at sea or in remote regions. Google has announced the feature with a short video on X.
Connection is not that easy
However, the connection is not easy and requires patience. As with the emergency call function of the Pixel 9 devices, your mobile must be in the open air and you must point it calmly and precisely at the satellite. This is the only way to ensure an uninterrupted connection.
As the function is based on Android 16, Google could theoretically also release it for other Android devices. However, it is still unclear if and when this will happen. The future costs are also still open. While the emergency call function was free with Google, the situation could be different for Whatsapp communication - after all, it consumes significantly more data.
It is still unclear whether and when the new satellite function will be available outside the USA. Although it is not limited to the USA per se, network operators must first be found to offer it in Europe.
Header image: Michelle Brändle
In my world, Super Mario chases Stormtroopers with a unicorn and Harley Quinn mixes cocktails for Eddie and Peter at the beach bar. Wherever I can live out my creativity, my fingers tingle. Or maybe it's because nothing flows through my veins but chocolate, glitter and coffee.
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