Google patented a smart Airplane Mode activation

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Google is reportedly working on a smart way to activate Airplane Mode. The company has filed a patent with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) dubbed “Activating a Connected Flight Mode.”

Airlines usually ask passengers to activate Airplane Mode when flying due to electromagnetic interference. Some other users might also use the feature to turn off connections and stay concentrated. Activating Airplane Mode in Android is as simple as tapping a toggle. But, Google is thinking of a new way to activate Airplane Mode automatically.

According to the patent details, your device will rely on sensors to track certain parameters, like acceleration and speed, in order to determine if you’re flying. A drop in pressure and listening for cabin sounds are other ways to decide about the phone’s and passenger’s status.

Google to activate Airplane Mode in Android devices automatically by checking some environmental factors

Any change in the noise of the flight engine and altitude ding and radio signals (GPS, Cellular ID, Wi-Fi signal) will help Google to check if a device is in an airplane. Besides these environmental factors, Google might also check the booking records and check-in status to know when to activate Connected Flight Mode.

Connected Flight Mode

Once the Connected Flight Mode is enabled, your device goes into a special mode to prevent electromagnetic interference. One great advantage of Connected Flight Mode is it allows you to stay connected to the plane’s Bluetooth Wi-Fi. Instead, the Airplane Mode shuts down all connections in a device, and you should turn them on separately later.

Another great thing about Connected Flight Mode is it treats in-flight Wi-Fi as a regular network. This means once your device is connected to in-flight Wi-Fi, it’s like connecting to “high bandwidth capabilities and un-metered use.”

Google explains the feature in this way: “Therefore, processes which use a lot of bandwidth, such as photo backups, may still execute while on a flight regardless of actual flight network capacities and qualities and thus can take up a significant amount of the limited resources of the plane’s internet connectivity. The disclosed technology can automatically switch a connected flight mode on before or during a flight to provide portable computing devices with granular levels of connectivity.”

With the Android 14 launch scheduled for fall 2023, it’s unlikely that we can see Connected Flight Mode anytime soon.

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