Pixel 9 Satellite SOS stays free for an extra year

Pixel 9 owners can keep texting emergency services by satellite without paying, at least for now. Google has extended the free period for Satellite SOS on the Pixel 9 series by one more year, a spokesperson confirmed to PCMag.

What changed

When Google launched Satellite SOS with the Pixel 9 line in August 2024, it promised the feature would be free for the first two years after activation. For early buyers, that window is now closing. Google's support page still mentions only two years, but the company told PCMag it has "extended this offering, at no additional cost, for one additional year," adding that it had "no details to share beyond that."

Google hasn't said whether a paid plan will follow once the extra year ends, Android Authority points out. The feature lets you contact emergency responders and share your location when there's no mobile signal or Wi-Fi, and it only works in the countries Google lists on its support page.

Our take

This is good news with a familiar shape. Apple promised two free years of Emergency SOS via satellite starting with the iPhone 14 and has extended it several times since. Google is now following the same path: keep the safety feature free, delay the awkward pricing question, and give no long-term answer.

That's fine for an emergency feature, where nobody should be weighing a subscription before calling for help. But the bigger picture is changing. Pixels use satellites through Skylo, which PCMag says is moving to Globalstar's network, the one behind iPhone's satellite features. Amazon announced earlier this year that it's buying Globalstar, and SpaceX's Starlink is pushing into phones too. Faster satellite messaging and data are coming, and those are unlikely to stay free. Emergency SOS may remain the free entry point.

For now, if you own a Pixel 9, there's nothing to do. Just check that Satellite SOS is still set up before a hike or long drive. For the wider fight over phone-to-satellite links, see our story on European operators' direct-to-device bid, and our power bank guide for keeping your phone alive off-grid.