iPhones will start supporting Starlink satellite communications
By ForGeeks Back in 2022, Apple introduced the iPhone 14 series with a satellite communications feature that could save lives in emergency situations. The feature became standard on iPhones and returned in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 lines. Now it’s been revealed that Apple is working on improving it through a secret partnership with SpaceX and T-Mobile.
And now it’s been revealed that Apple is working on improving it through a secret partnership with SpaceX and T-Mobile.
According to Bloomberg, the Cupertino-based company is working with SpaceX and T-Mobile to bring satellite connectivity via the Starlink network to the iPhone. This partnership builds on an agreement between T-Mobile and SpaceX first announced back in 2022. According to the source, T-Mobile has already started testing the feature for a limited number of iPhone users.
According to the source.
The feature is currently in beta testing, so it may be far from perfect. However, it’s already available for iPhone users with iOS 18.3 installed, which was released earlier this week. The official T-Mobile Starlink beta note reads:
See the official T-Mobile Starlink beta note.
“Now you can stay connected and send text messages via satellite from virtually anywhere. To start enjoying expanded coverage, update to iOS 18.3.”
T-Mobile previously said that support for communication via Starlink would be coming to Samsung Galaxy smartphones as well. For now, the feature only allows you to send messages via satellite, but there are plans to add voice and data calling capabilities in the future.
The feature will be available in the future.
It was previously rumored that Apple had partnered with GlobalStar to provide satellite connectivity on its smartphones. But now the partnership could expand thanks to T-Mobile, which promises to make the feature available to all of its users by the end of this year.
Apple’s rumored partnership with GlobalStar to provide satellite connectivity on its smartphones is expected to be expanded by the end of this year.
