Catching up? Huawei announced theirs a who day before Apple. And have you seen the users trying to use their implementation. It is not great. Not to mention Huawei’s only works in China. Apple’s is in far more countries and also will be global as some point. I do not think they need to catch up.
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First Look at Messages via Satellite in iOS 18
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I'm in a rural community, just 20min from big strip-mall suburbia. A few years back a guy spent two cold nights in a ditch/ravine because he fell and had no cell service to call for help.
Phones are safety devices. Many, many people are going to live thanks to these features.
And adding messaging is that next level of safety above SOS personal lifesaving. It's not just convenience, there are times when getting a message out is really impactful.
"Mom, I'm okay. We found an old cabin to ride out the storm."
Mate 60 Pro was announced back in August 2023. Maybe you meant a "whole year" before Apple?
Yes, I've seen the implementation. You lock on to the satellite and send the SMS or make the call. Apple is the same, minus the ability to make a call.
Messages via satellite will only be available in the U.S. per Apple.
OS - iOS 26
iOS 26 for iPhone with a new design, more helpful Apple Intelligence, polls and backgrounds in Messages, and features that make every day effortless.
www.apple.com
There are lots of places in CO, UT, WY, MT that do not have cell service. My wife and I were driving from Pocatello, ID to CO, on a US highway (not Interstate), where there were multiple areas with no service.
You might want to watch the video. Starting in the U.S. and going to other countries just like Satellite SOS.Mate 60 Pro was announced back in August 2023. Maybe you meant a "whole year" before Apple?
Yes, I've seen the implementation. You lock on to the satellite and send the SMS or make the call. Apple is the same, minus the ability to make a call.
Messages via satellite will only be available in the U.S. per Apple.
OS - iOS 26
iOS 26 for iPhone with a new design, more helpful Apple Intelligence, polls and backgrounds in Messages, and features that make every day effortless.www.apple.com
Interesting it doesn’t support RCS and SMS.
When you look back to the telecommunications technology available 100 years ago, it’s amazing to think what we will have 100 years from now.
Catching up? What other phone manufacture provides free text messaging via satellites?
This is about to be obsolete with ASTS-AT&T/Verizon and Starlink-T-Mobile. SMS/Voice/and usable data with ASTS and SMS and eventually voice with Starlink will make pointing your phone at the sky just not convenient enough compared to always on connection from the carrier.
This is awesome. I really hope it remains free or very cheap (included with Apple One, etc.)
Send and receive messages via satellite - awesome.
Send and receive emojis and tapbacks via satellite - ridiculous.
Send and receive emojis and tapbacks via satellite - ridiculous.
Yeah, emergency satellite access was a good idea but this convenience seems definitely like ramping up for it to be a subscription service sooner than later.
How long before "influencers" start updating Facebook and Twitter (sorry X) while flying?
If you put the phone in Flight mode, will it offer Satellite?
As you need direct line of sight, and as the satellites are moving, it’d be really difficult I imagine, and if not impossible, very very patchy or impractical. 🤷♂️. Thankfully.
Funny, how we will be able to get a satellite signal from space but I can't get a good AT&T signal at my house.
Satellite messaging is so yesterday. Huawei has Satellite calls…
Do Huawei have sat calls available in anywhere other than China? And are the calls encrypted end to end?
I also note they only have access to 3 actual satellites.
Messaging is hardly so yesterday when that is all they actually have access to.
No, only in China as of right now. I mean they could expended to Europe, but sanction made it pointless right now, since Huawei does not have access to Google services.
Yes, there are 3 satellites, with one more planned to launch this year.
This is current coverage of three satellites.
Very useful feature especially for those of us that live in rural areas were reception can sometimes be spotty.
This could absolutely save people’s lives.
That said I fully expect Apple to try to monetize it and make it some add on subscription service once they get the tech fully refined and out of the beta stages.
This could absolutely save people’s lives.
That said I fully expect Apple to try to monetize it and make it some add on subscription service once they get the tech fully refined and out of the beta stages.