Kuo: iPhone 13 to Feature LEO Satellite Communications to Make Calls and Texts Without Cellular Coverage

[MacCurry]

I call total BS on this guess/prediction. LEOs are in a very low orbit and will only be in range for earth communications at any given point for a few minutes each pass, so perhaps 3 to 5 minutes if you are lucky. It would require a swarm of LEOs and probably a much bigger antenna, as in much bigger than the iPhone itself. I'm an Extra Class licensed amateur radio operator (ham) who has monitored several LEOs as they pass by, including the International Space Station. This simply cannot be done with an iPhone and the current state of technology built into them. Even with the proper equipment, it requires a lot of knowledge and a well placed antenna. Total bleeping BS!!! There is a reason we use GEOs (geostationary satellites at 36,000 km altitude). You have to get that far away to keep the satellite over a specific location on earth. A LEO orbits the earth at less than 1,000 km, and makes another complete orbit about every 1.5 hours (90 minutes). No way this will work today....

There are 1,619 Starlink communication satellites, at 341 mile altitude at 53 degree inclination, with plans to put upto 11,000 in the next few years. SpaceX has US regulatory approval for 4,000 more immediately and we'll see them in the coming year or so. These are in the Ku and Ka bands and link to each other using laser transponders. At roughly 550 KM altitude, it takes about 1 hour 36 minutes to orbit the earth. It comes down to how the software implementation with the Qualcom X60 baseband chipset using the GPS receiver chipset in the iPhone can pick up on the Starlink satellites.

This seems doable, but signal power and antenna gain is the question. It may be only for emergency use applications. In any case, this is a game changer if true.

 

[gsurf123]

No one should ever use a phone as a safety net when off the beaten path in nature. Nothing more annoying that some jackass talking on the phone in a national park. I'm there to get away from that and not to use it as a safety blanket to phone for help.

 

[RalfTheDog]

There are 1,619 Starlink communication satellites, at 341 mile altitude at 53 degree inclination, with plans to put upto 11,000 in the next few years. SpaceX has US regulatory approval for 4,000 more immediately and we'll see them in the coming year or so. These are in the Ku and Ka bands and link to each other using laser transponders. At roughly 550 KM altitude, it takes about 1 hour 36 minutes to orbit the earth. It comes down to how the software implementation with the Qualcom X60 baseband chipset using the GPS receiver chipset in the iPhone can pick up on the Starlink satellites.

This seems doable, but signal power and antenna gain is the question. It may be only for emergency use applications. In any case, this is a game changer if true.

If true, I suspect they will require an external antenna that connects to the Lightning port.

 

[Exponent]

No one should ever use a phone as a safety net when off the beaten path in nature. Nothing more annoying that some jackass talking on the phone in a national park. I'm there to get away from that and not to use it as a safety blanket to phone for help.

Do you mean "no one should ever use a phone as ANYTHING OTHER THAN a safety net"? I can't understand anyone NOT wanting a way of calling in help quickly, when minutes can mean the difference between life and death!

 

[BarredOwl]

Would love to see this happen, but not counting on it.

 

[G.McGilli]

How come we never hear about Apple sending Cease And Desist letters to Kuo?

He seems to always have the inside scoop and divulges all this info to investors and media...

Yet Apple only goes after people living in their parents houses who tweet out 'predictions' and rumours?

 

[Madhatter32]

This would be fantastic. Forget about wilderness hikes, I need this just travelling with T-Mobile's spotty service in rural areas.

 

[DotCom2]

Big if true. But I believe it's going to be extremely difficult to transmit voice from phone to LEO satellite - not enough antenna power. So maybe low bitrate text.

Yeah, but GREAT for emergency texts and finding lost people. Sure hope this is true!

 

[jz0309]

Just wait to see what your bill for satellite services will be… for me personally, a useless feature… I rather enjoy being out in nature and not being bugged by the phone

 

[Zwhaler]

This is genius. This is the kind of innovation I applaud Apple for. It paves the way for a new network paradigm. Keep up the good work.

 

[diddl14]

If it wasn’t for the fact that April 1st is still a few months away, this would actually be funny. Now this claim just sounds totally incompetent..

 

[jz0309]

It should use it for free in emergency situations. THAT would be a good, customer focused, feature.
But thats not Apple.

That is the one and only use case I can see, beyond that, do I really need device everywhere? No thank you

 

[jz0309]

And you all think that spacex or globalstar or whoever will provide that service for free? Or just work with att vzw or T-Mobile??? Think again…

 

[name99]

I call total BS on this guess/prediction. LEOs are in a very low orbit and will only be in range for earth communications at any given point for a few minutes each pass, so perhaps 3 to 5 minutes if you are lucky. It would require a swarm of LEOs and probably a much bigger antenna, as in much bigger than the iPhone itself. I'm an Extra Class licensed amateur radio operator (ham) who has monitored several LEOs as they pass by, including the International Space Station. This simply cannot be done with an iPhone and the current state of technology built into them. Even with the proper equipment, it requires a lot of knowledge and a well placed antenna. Total bleeping BS!!! There is a reason we use GEOs (geostationary satellites at 36,000 km altitude). You have to get that far away to keep the satellite over a specific location on earth. A LEO orbits the earth at less than 1,000 km, and makes another complete orbit about every 1.5 hours (90 minutes). No way this will work today....

You do realize that LEO is exactly how Iridium worked (and still works) right?

The size of the antenna is a much more relevant complaint. The Starlink dishes are large; even the Iridium antenna is large. The size isn't essential for the frequency, but you do want a large *effective* collecting area. Could you fake that with something like using multiple phased smaller antennas distributed over the back of the phone? I can't see why not.
You will probably burn power something horrible -- but I expect this is not a solution for everyday use...

 

[zorinlynx]

As an example, there's a massive hurricane about to hit Louisiana. The storm is likely going to knock out cellular networks all over the region.

This sort of technology could be game changing in these situations. Right now you need specialized equipment to talk to satellites, but if cellphone start to have this tech it will mean a lot fewer cases of people being isolated in emergencies or in remote areas.

 

[DotCom2]

This would be fantastic. Forget about wilderness hikes, I need this just travelling with T-Mobile's spotty service in rural areas.

I'm sure it would be extremely slow and limited. I don't think this is for replacing cellular. More for outlaying emergency purposes.

 

[zorinlynx]

And you all think that spacex or globalstar or whoever will provide that service for free? Or just work with att vzw or T-Mobile??? Think again…

Of course not, in normal situations.

But imagine being able to "light up" free satellite communication during an emergency, like the one that's about to happen in Louisiana. Suddenly you have some percentage of the population being able to communicate, and let authorities know about people who need help and so on.

This could be game changing in situations like this, and those who want access to the satellites during normal times can just pay up.

 

[diddl14]

This seems doable,

Yes, but not as an iPhone 13 feature and probably not even with the iPhone 20.

 

[zorinlynx]

Yes, but not on an IPhone 13 feature and probably not even with the iPhone 20.

Radios these days are more software than hardware, and it's very possible if you have a software defined cellular radio that you could add the capability to talk to satellites in a future update.

 

[jz0309]

Of course not, in normal situations.

But imagine being able to "light up" free satellite communication during an emergency, like the one that's about to happen in Louisiana. Suddenly you have some percentage of the population being able to communicate, and let authorities know about people who need help and so on.

This could be game changing in situations like this, and those who want access to the satellites during normal times can just pay up.

I’d agree for emergency that would be great, but I just don’t see Musk or Bezos being so gracious to provide it for free, even in the emergency situation …

 

[Rychiar]

well since 5g is trash in most places and I still can barely get a bar at my house it would be nice to have some backup

 

[diddl14]

Radios these days are more software than hardware, and it's very possible if you have a software defined cellular radio that you could add the capability to talk to satellites in a future update.

Sure, but this is about Apple, That’s not how they do things.

 

[Internaut]

Does the user have to pay for this access or is that service provided (paid for) by Apple and Globalatar

It’ll be a cost per minute for voice calls, likely a cost per MB for data. It won’t be cheap but not something you’d turn down if in trouble and out of coverage.

 

[Alexander_im]

I love you guys. You provide us with fresh pack of rumors even on weekends

 

[lordofthereef]

Not trying to be a pessimist, but what is the cost of this going to look like? If it's included in standard plans without a price hike that will be great but...