Apple is apparently planning satellite-powered iPhone features, building on the initial release of satellite emergency calls and texts with the iPhone 14 in 2022. The suggested additional capabilities may include the usage of Apple Maps and the ability to share photographs via satellite, necessitating considerable changes to Globalstar’s infrastructure. Subsequent iPhone models have included improvements to this satellite communication.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on advanced satellite connectivity services for iPhones and smartwatches, such as satellite-powered maps and photo sharing. Apple has been exploring satellite technology for over a decade, originally employing two prominent satellite engineers from Alphabet Inc. to look into its possibilities. The company’s idea included a new strategy in which iPhones will link directly to satellite networks instead of regular cellular providers. This direct link guaranteed users uninterrupted service regardless of location and gave Apple more control over its ecosystem. While numerous other big technology companies, including Google, investigated similar satellite-based concepts in the mid-2010s, none were able to build a workable implementation of this concept.
Apple first introduced “Emergency SOS via Satellite” with the iPhone 14 in 2022, allowing users without a cellular connection to call emergency services using satellite. This was a cautious yet innovative move toward expanded satellite communication capability. In 2023, Apple enhanced these options by adding roadside help through AAA for stranded cars, and users may now send and receive non-emergency text messages while off the grid. The technology is supervised by Apple’s Satellite Connectivity Group (SCG), which is directed by senior director Mike Trela and works closely with other groups such as wireless software, hardware technologies, commercial development, and regulatory affairs.
Apple keeps developing additional satellite capabilities, including a framework for third-party apps that allows developers to include satellite connectivity in their applications; however, not all features will be compatible. The company intends to improve Apple Maps with satellite connectivity to allow navigation without cellular or Wi-Fi access. There are also upgrades in messaging capabilities, which now allow for photo sharing as well as text messages via satellite. Apple is working on allowing “natural usage,” which would allow people to stay connected to their iPhones, whether in pockets, automobiles, or indoors, without requiring a straight line of sight to the sky.
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Additionally, next year’s iPhones are likely to embrace 5G NTN technology, which improves cellular tower coverage via satellites. Most of these developments will need considerable changes to Globalstar’s satellite infrastructure, which Apple is funding. If SpaceX acquires Globalstar, the implementation of these advancements might be accelerated, but this circumstance may force Apple to reevaluate its satellite service business model and long-term strategy.
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Apple hopes to increase iPhone sales and upgrades by providing critical services such as Emergency SOS for free, therefore keeping consumers connected with its ecosystem. Customers can pay directly to carriers or satellite providers like SpaceX for upgraded capabilities. A possible merger between SpaceX and Globalstar may bring about hurdles, but it could also pave the way for greater collaboration, potentially leading to a premium tier for enhanced communication via satellite. Although Apple has no plans to allow phone conversations, video chats, or web surfing via satellite, SpaceX’s advancements suggest a significant push for these functions. Finally, Apple is moving toward its satellite vision, which was first imagined a decade ago, with the possibility of further capabilities for iPhone users in the near future.
