Apple is secretly working with SpaceX and T-Mobile to add support for the Starlink network to the latest iPhone software.
According to Bloomberg, Apple has secretly worked with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and T-Mobile US Inc. to integrate support for the Starlink network into the latest version of iPhone software. The iOS 18.3 update released on Monday now includes support for the technology. The partnership comes as a surprise, as T-Mobile had previously listed Starlink only as an option for Samsung smartphones, such as the Z Fold and S24 models. Apple already offers a service through Globalstar.
that allows users to send messages and contact emergency services when they are out of cellular coverage. T-Mobile has begun allowing customers to sign up for an early version of the Starlink service, and this week activated a small number of iPhones as part of a trial period. Elon Musk, in a post on X, said that images, music, and podcasts will be supported by the current Starlink technology, while future upgrades will add video support.
Early adopters received text messages from T-Mobile informing them of their participation in the T-Mobile Starlink beta program. To start using coverage beyond conventional networks, users are asked to upgrade to iOS 18.3. In the cellular data settings of their iPhone, program participants now have a new setting to manage satellite operation.
The system works simply: when a T-Mobile iPhone is in an area without cellular connection, devices participating in the Starlink program will first try to connect to SpaceX satellites. Users will also be able to enable texting through the satellite services menu for the Globalstar service or contact emergency services through Apple.
A key difference between the two services is that Apple’s current feature requires users to point their iPhone at the sky to locate a satellite, while Starlink’s option is designed to work automatically, even when the phone is in the user’s pocket.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted SpaceX conditional approval to use its satellites to supplement T-Mobile’s cellular network in November.
0 Comments