Elon Musk Battled Apple Over Satellite Features

[MacRumors]

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been embroiled in a battle with Apple over its satellite connectivity features, according to The Information.

The report claims when SpaceX CEO Elon Musk heard that Apple was planning to announce a satellite connectivity feature for the iPhone 14 in partnership with Globalstar, he approached the company with an offer. He proposed that SpaceX would exclusively provide satellite connectivity to iPhones for 18 months, for an upfront cost of $5 billion. After that, Apple would pay SpaceX $1 billion per year for Starlink service.

Musk threatened that if Apple did not agree to a deal with SpaceX within 72 hours, he would announce a similar satellite feature on his own that could work with iPhones. Apple rejected the proposal, and two weeks before the iPhone 14 was announced SpaceX revealed a partnership with T-Mobile that allowed smartphone users to send and receive text messages in areas with no reception using Starlink.

SpaceX has also filed legal challenges to Globalstar's use of the radio spectrum it has licensed, which could cripple the iPhone's satellite service if they succeed. As part of this litigation, SpaceX challenged Globalstar's application to launch new satellites in 2023, accusing the satellite company of underutilizing the spectrum it already possessed. SpaceX accused the company of trying to block competition by hogging spectrum for itself.

SpaceX also named Apple in the regulatory filings, which apparently irked Apple executives who wanted to keep their distance from the conflict. Moreover, Apple employees are said to believe that Musk's close relationship with the Trump administration could give him an advantage over Apple and others with the FCC.

More recently, Apple and SpaceX have clashed over how far Apple would support SpaceX's partnership with T-Mobile. Over the past year, Musk asked Apple to support the T-Mobile satellite feature across a broad range of its iPhone models, which would help maximize the potential market for the service, but Apple was reluctant to support the service on models older than the iPhone 14, which frustrated Musk.

The series of satellite connectivity spats added to animosity between Musk and Apple, who have also grappled with disagreements over App Store fees. In recent years, Musk has plotted the idea of building his own phone to get around Apple's "gatekeeper" position in the market. Musk has reportedly discussed Tesla building the phone and satellite connectivity being provided by Starlink.

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Article Link: Elon Musk Battled Apple Over Satellite Features

 

[ghostface147]

Of course. Musk gets told no, does childish things.

 

[asdfjkl;]

What a tyrant! Somebody needs to take this guy down a peg or two (Billion).

 

[TechWhisperer]

American business executives are such drama queens. Lmao!

 

[Capeto]

World's biggest baby gets told no, throws a tantrum.

 

[Martin Bland]

Musk tried to extort Apple for services. Apple called his bluff, so now he’s doing it for free.

One can only hope that his corrupt ties to the Trump administration won’t be successful in thwarting competition. He is claiming that the competition isn’t using spectrum so it shouldn’t be allowed to launch satellites to use said spectrum. Ridiculous.

 

[coolfactor]

It's both entertaining and disenchanting to watch the current "leadership" be so ... oh, pick a word.

 

[padams35]

As much as I want Apple to open up their walled garden, tone back the greed, provide better support for older devices, etc, etc... 72 hour ultimatums, exclusivity demands, and punitive lawsuits is not going to win Musk the moral high ground.

 

[It’s always something]

As much as I want Apple to open up their walled garden, tone back the greed, provide better support for older devices, etc, etc... 72 hour ultimatums, exclusivity demands, and punitive lawsuits is not going to win Musk the moral high ground.

Elon actively fled the moral high ground when he went to work for DOGE.

 

[nikhsub1]

Bully tactics just like the bully in chief does. And folks wonder why he spent $250 million on the election.

 

[3xBoom]

A South African illegal immigrant hustling hard...

 

[sw1tcher]

He proposed that SpaceX would exclusively provide satellite connectivity to iPhones for 18 months, for an upfront cost of $5 billion. After that, Apple would pay SpaceX $1 billion per year for Starlink service.

More recently, Apple and SpaceX have clashed over how far Apple would support SpaceX's partnership with T-Mobile. Over the past year, Musk asked Apple to support the T-Mobile satellite feature across a broad range of its iPhone models, which would help maximize the potential market for the service, but Apple was reluctant to support the service on models older than the iPhone 14, which frustrated Musk.

Apple should have told Musk that Apple would support the SpaceX and T-Mobile partnership for 18 months if Musk/SpaceX paid Apple an upfront $5 billion and $1 billion per year after that.

 

[NMBob]

...Apple executives who wanted to keep their distance from the conflict...
That appears to be the way they want to handle all business matters.

 

[Biro]

I’d like to see Elon build his own phone. Microsoft tried. So did Amazon. And we all know how they worked out.

 

[Devyn89]

If they had made a phone a year ago it might’ve had a chance but I think the market, especially Europe, wouldn’t purchase the phones now if Musk is involved. Look at Tesla’s cratering sales in Europe for as close to proof as I can provide for what is a speculative claim.

 

[neuropsychguy]

"In recent years, Musk has plotted the idea of building his own phone to get around Apple's "gatekeeper" position in the market. Musk has reportedly discussed Tesla building the phone and satellite connectivity being provided by Starlink."

Go ahead. We could use more competition.

 

[lkrupp]

Of course. Musk gets told no, does childish things.

And what’s childish about trying to squash your competitors?

 

[raybo]

Elon will prevail.

 

[phenste]

serious question, did this man ever grow out of having a middle schooler’s brain?

 

[lkrupp]

As much as I want Apple to open up their walled garden, tone back the greed, provide better support for older devices, etc, etc... 72 hour ultimatums, exclusivity demands, and punitive lawsuits is not going to win Musk the moral high ground.

So you want Apple’s profits to slide, sales to decrease, all for the sake of being nice? And don’t tell us Apple’s sales and profits will actually increase by being nice. Not hardly.

 

[AmpSkillz]

World's biggest baby gets told no, throws a tantrum.

So musk offered Apple an exclusivity deal which they declined and so he partnered with T-mobile like he said he would. How is it a tantrum? 😂 he launched the satellites for a reason he didn’t make a deal with t-mobile to spite Apple he was always planning to sell a service.

I don’t see anything bad about giving them a deadline it was for exclusivity and he had the best service Apple could get. Apple didn’t decline it because it wasn’t the best option. They declined it because they were afraid of making a deal with SpaceX that would piss off the cellular carriers.

Ultimately Apple chose to give us a hobbled version of satellite features that works in emergencies instead of full satellite connectivity (in emergencies).

 

[jaymc]

... according to The Information. An online publication rooted in the Bay area and Co-executive Editor who is anti-Musk. Take it for what its worth.

 

[jz0309]

I think spacex offers a better solution than globalstar, and certainly much better coverage, but also understand why Apple didn’t want to deal with them.
For me personally, it’s not a requirement.

 

[klasma]

I’d like to see Elon build his one phone. Microsoft tried. So did Amazon. And we all know how they worked out.

And we all know how Apple trying to build their own car and their own AI has worked out. Not to mention that Apple’s spaceship hasn’t managed a single liftoff yet.

 

[turbineseaplane]

In recent years, Musk has plotted the idea of building his own phone to get around Apple's "gatekeeper" position in the market. Musk has reportedly discussed Tesla building the phone and satellite connectivity being provided by Starlink.

He should do it! We need more competition in this space.