Apple Developing These 5 New Satellite Features for iPhone

[MacRumors]

Apple is working on a series of new satellite connectivity features for the iPhone, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

In this week's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman revealed that the new features in development include:

• Apple Maps via satellite: Navigation in Apple Maps without cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity.
• Photos in Messages via satellite: Support for sending photos in the Messages app using satellite connectivity.
• Natural Usage: Satellite connectivity from indoors environments, without the need to physically point the device toward clear sky.
• Satellite over 5G: Support for 5G NTN, allowing cell towers to use satellites for increased coverage.
• Satellite API framework for third-party apps: An API that will allow developers to voluntarily integrate satellite connectivity into their apps. Not all features and services will be compatible.

There apparently no plans to enable phone calls, video calls, or web browsing via satellite at present.

Today, Apple's satellite connectivity features are available for free. For more advanced capabilities in the future, Apple reportedly plans to let customers pay satellite carriers for features directly.

Apple could also create a paid option for extended connectivity with a company like SpaceX. Gurman added that there have been discussions in the company about offering its own satellite service, but concerns that Apple shouldn't act like a carrier have stifled that possibility.

Many of the new satellite features in development will apparently require upgrades to Globalstar's infrastructure, which Apple helped to finance. Gurman said that if SpaceX acquires Globalstar, the necessary enhancements could roll out faster.

​

Article Link: Apple Developing These 5 New Satellite Features for iPhone

 

[polyphenol]

For most of us, most of the time, it likely makes far more sense to download Apple maps than to use a satellite service, doesn't it?

Personally, I would quite like an auto-download which detects when I am somewhere new and downloads the appropriate map(s).

However I can see sense for traffic, or emergency situations, when no mobile signal is available.

 

[MGrayson3]

I totally trust SpaceX with my emergency services.

 

[kotaKat]

Pissing in the wind, are we, Gurman? Pay attention to Globalstar's Investor Relations reports. They just dropped another solid quarter of performance for Apple.

C-3 Constellation Preparation Continues with Ground Network Expansion Worldwide: Globalstar continued the rapid build-out of its worldwide ground network, strengthening capacity and resilience in preparation for future service growth. During the third quarter of 2025, the Company made significant progress towards the expansion and construction of facilities across multiple continents, including Europe, Asia and North America.

They also just announced 8 more ground station antennas across Brazil for C-3 alone.

These multiple enhancements will ensure high service quality and redundancy of essential network elements, supporting a next generation of mobile satellite connectivity, including IoT and D2D solutions. These solutions are essential across the vast regions of Brazil and South America, which are not supported by terrestrial mobile networks.

 

[bviktor]

Emergency SOS is still only available in 17 countries (the richest ones, obviously). I'd pay for it, just make it available already.

 

[JosephAW]

Upgrading cell towers to fall back on satellite connectivity is nice but most cell towers only last 30 minutes on battery when the power is out. Having standby generators using other fuel sources will help prolong emergency support access with hourly 10 minute power cycles would preserve fuel over long period of days.

 

[Powerbooky]

It won't take long until StarLink (or equivalent) is an option on a mobile phone.
😏

 

[WarmWinterHat]

It won't take long until StarLink (or equivalent) is an option on a mobile phone.
😏

It won't work inside building, especially with metal roofs or multi-story. So, yea, outside is fine and sometimes inside (as the article points out).

 

[bmark]

These features are pretty much useless! Who cares about sending photo's via a satellite connection.

 

[Biro]

It won't work inside building, especially with metal roofs or multi-story. So, yea, outside is fine and sometimes inside (as the article points out).

Yup. T-Mobile is already touting its T-Satellite service via Starlink as a way of closing the gaps between cells. It automatically connects one’s phone to satellite service when cell service is unavailable. Right now it’s currently limited to messaging and location sharing. It may eventually include phone calls but it still requires a clear view of the sky. I don’t see how that’s going to change much when satellite technology is involved.

 

[tennisproha]

If SpaceX buys Globalstar that’s going to create a monopoly from the get go. This’ll mean higher prices and poor service for customers.

 

[keith57]

Any ideas on when / if Messaging over Satelite will arrive anywhere outside the USA? Would be very useful for me here in the uk…

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Maps via satellite would be super impressive.

 

[jimscard]

Upgrading cell towers to fall back on satellite connectivity is nice but most cell towers only last 30 minutes on battery when the power is out. Having standby generators using other fuel sources will help prolong emergency support access with hourly 10 minute power cycles would preserve fuel over long period of days.

You don’t need cell towers in emergencies with extended power outages. Starlink has proven that Direct to Cell satellites can provide coverage in such areas (and do).

 

[Alameda]

For most of us, most of the time, it likely makes far more sense to download Apple maps than to use a satellite service, doesn't it?

Personally, I would quite like an auto-download which detects when I am somewhere new and downloads the appropriate map(s).

However I can see sense for traffic, or emergency situations, when no mobile signal is available.

Doesn't every iPhone have GPS navigation? And doesn't the S in GPS stand for Satellite?

 

[huge_apple_fangirl]

I’ve long believed Apple should have its own satellite service. Apple Sat, optimized for C1, and with that sweet sweet recurring revenue that Apple loves.

 

[MisterSavage]

Sounds good to me. I was really happy that I was able to make use of texting via Satellite when my carrier had an outage.

 

[JustSomeInfo]

If SpaceX buys Globalstar that’s going to create a monopoly from the get go. This’ll mean higher prices and poor service for customers.

That thought scared me. I'm pretty sure it would go through considering who is in charge of things these days.

 

[NetMage]

Upgrading cell towers to fall back on satellite connectivity is nice but most cell towers only last 30 minutes on battery when the power is out.

No one else is talking about upgrading cell towers. Satellite over 5G would have been better written 5G via Satellite. That can either be through satellite backhaul for remote towers or direct to handsets, both of which are supported by Starlink.

 

[VulchR]

Any ideas on when / if Messaging over Satelite will arrive anywhere outside the USA? Would be very useful for me here in the uk…

Some satellite service is already available in the UK (emergency, roadside service), but not sure about routine messaging.

 

[stiligFox]

I think this is good - initially the SOS feature was going to become paid but I imagine now that they're adding other features that are "safe" to charge money for, the SOS features will remain free.


With as much goodwill as the SOS features have generated for Apple, I can only imagine the colossal backlash it would be if it was found that someone had an iPhone that could have saved their life if only they'd paid for the subscription.

But now they can get that subscription service they wanted by adding other value added things, that will also subsidize the SOS feature for everyone. At least, here's hoping.

 

[Ctrlos]

Er, the iPhone has had navigation via satellites since the 3G…..

 

[hagar]

These features are pretty much useless! Who cares about sending photo's via a satellite connection.

I assume this is to send a photo of your broke leg to emergency services. Not a d*ck pic.

 

[Radeon85]

Er, the iPhone has had navigation via satellites since the 3G…..

This is not for the location part of it, it's for streaming the actual map data over satellite, which would be pretty handy.

 

[Parowdy]

These features are pretty much useless! Who cares about sending photo's via a satellite connection.

Because there couldn’t possibly be a situation in which a photo tells operators much better and faster what’s happening than texts from a person in distress during an emergency…