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Tim Cook was probably afraid that the carriers would pull back on, if not outright stop, subsidizing iPhones. If all those free iPhone offers disappeared

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that'd be a huge hit to Apple's revenue. 49.1% of revenue comes from iPhone.
They are all bank finances anyway. I could see some great market advantages being the only global company to offer free phones (either with contract or not), and offer global connectivity wherever you go. I mean, this is next level. Comcast, ATT and T-Mobile cannot do that. They charge you hefty fees for traveling and calling abroad. Solving this issue as one global company is a milestone in human communication -- beside having a satellite dedicated phone device.
 
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This again ironically highlights the toxicity of Musk. An Apple partnership with Starlink would be so beneficial to everyone involved but because Musk started blackmailing Apple, he killed the prospects of that ever happening.
 
Clearly, starlink is superior to globalstar, way better coverage in particular. But also, competition is needed in that space, literally…
 
For those of us who live off-grid, fiber or even DSL isn't an option. Prior to Starlink, the only option was traditional satellite internet or (LTE) hotspot, and I couldn't figure out which was worse. Starlink is a game changer, it's incredibly good (regularly get 200+ Mbps with ~50ms latency).

Although not off the grid, the area where I've lived since 2018 did not have any options for high speed internet.

I started off with a roof-top microwave receiver that did 9 Mbps up/down for $80/month. At that time the other choices were Century Link DSL (which is atrocious according to everyone who has it) or Hughesnet which isn't any better from what I've heard. And Century Link told me they wouldn't provide service to my address even if I wanted it although the next door neighbors had it. They couldn't give a reason.

After a couple of years I changed companies and moved up to 15-30 Mbps off-peak and 10-20 Mbps in the evenings for $48/month. Big improvement for a lot less money.

Finally last fall I bit the bullet and upgraded to Starlink which was a huge upgrade with generally 150-450 Mbps off peak and 50-150 Mbps evenings for $120/month. I was happy with their service. Even if Elmo isn't my favorite person I finally had high speed internet.

But right after X-mas Verizon made their 5G Home Internet available in this area so I tried it. Best service yet for me with consistent 300 Mbps for $70/month and no contract. I've been very happy with their service as have my neighbors who have it.

We'll never get fiber out here where I live but at least now I have alternatives for high speed unlike 2018.
 
There are/have been dozens of vaporware LEO internet companies, right up until they get to this part of their business plan: "the companies would have launched thousands of satellites into orbit".
 
You’re asking that in the wrong place, because a lot of people will answer “Yes”. Hell I remember users scrabbling to buy the Apple branded AA battery charger when they made one, people in the comments were claiming the AA batteries included were “thinner and lighter” than other brands.

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I still really like this guy, it was a surprisingly elegant compared to other things on the market at the time.
 
Would have liked Apple as my carrier and home internet provider.

Pity it didn’t come to be.
 
the weird and very MacRumors-user conceit about Apple’s entirely average at best wifi routers is just baffling. They were so not worth the price. Is it the Apple logo on the outside? I’ve never understood why common sense goes out the door anytime someone brings up those stupid devices. It was absolutely the right decision for Apple to nix that business. Should Apple start making printers and scanners again, too?
Sorry, but that was not my experience. Airport just worked especially with some of Apple features. I’ve had issues with different stations since. ESP with the HomeKit and continuity it would be nice to have consistency and get back to “it just works” standard and having that all from one hardware/software provider makes sense.

Also why are people clamoring for those devices? It’s because they worked for years flawlessly.

I know most is now standardized but some needs too much tinkering and offering vpn to home network and other solutions that I can’t think seem straightforward.

Let me preface that I know nothing about networking. But using the homepods as mesh nodes seems a natural extension.
 
You’re asking that in the wrong place, because a lot of people will answer “Yes”. Hell I remember users scrabbling to buy the Apple branded AA battery charger when they made one, people in the comments were claiming the AA batteries included were “thinner and lighter” than other brands.

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Still have mine. After 15 years only 2 of 8 purchased have worn out. I have lightning mouse and keyboard now but use the NiMH apple batteries in other devices. Haven’t bought alkaline batteries in 15 years.
 
I wish someone would launch a truly global phone network so I don’t have to keep changing SIM cards every time I travel.
 
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Sorry, but that was not my experience. Airport just worked especially with some of Apple features. I’ve had issues with different stations since. ESP with the HomeKit and continuity it would be nice to have consistency and get back to “it just works” standard and having that all from one hardware/software provider makes sense.

Also why are people clamoring for those devices? It’s because they worked for years flawlessly.

I know most is now standardized but some needs too much tinkering and offering vpn to home network and other solutions that I can’t think seem straightforward.

Let me preface that I know nothing about networking. But using the homepods as mesh nodes seems a natural extension.
I agree with you, airport extremes were and are still great.
Posting this now on airport WiFi 😁

The setup process for a new router or extender is slick and easy. Few taps and you’re good to go!

Just really wish they release updated models to support full fibre speeds on WiFi.
 
I can only think of one place in 20 years that I didn't have cellular coverage outdoors and it was a small stretch along a rural road that only lasted about 30 seconds.
My experience is much different but then mountains are not kind to line of sight signals. Sheer distance can get you too. A decent stretch of US highway 2 between Coulee City and Waterville (state of Washington) is uncontaminated by cellular signals. With one exception, everywhere I've gone camping in the last 15 years is out of cell phone range. That exception is across the valley from a ski resort.

For that matter I am outside the range of all over the air broadcast TV signals. I do have FM radio and cellular coverage at the house though. Fortunately being old I can function without a cell phone. ;)
 
I agree with you, airport extremes were and are still great.
Posting this now on airport WiFi 😁

The setup process for a new router or extender is slick and easy. Few taps and you’re good to go!

Just really wish they release updated models to support full fibre speeds on WiFi.
I loved them, they just worked like magic. It pained me to replace them but the best i could get out of them was 100mb via daisy chaining (hard wired Ethernet cable) them to different parts of the house and the internet provider speeds more than quadrupled that speed. I love how they just worked, the app was so simple and Apple.
 
I’ll give a different example then, when the Apple Card first launched, I saw lots of people on MacRumors admitting that the benefits were worse than much of the competition and what they currently had, but they were getting one anyway purely because they wanted to have a bank card with the Apple logo with their name on it.
Many people simply wanted the cool factor of owning a titanium Apple Card. However, the majority of users hardly ever carry the card in person, relying solely on their phones for its functionality.
 
Why not, I dont know, just use starlink? The infrastructure is already there, its proven, its reliable, the speeds and response times are better than any other by a longshot. This seems like classic reinventing the wheel at the cost of billions of dollars.
 
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Generally speaking, living in a high density city means you're less likely to get fiber. The cable ISPs already have mature, complete HFC plants in most cities now. Nobody is going to spend a fortune to boar and bury underground fiber when there's already coax in the ground and incumbent ISPs have a stranglehold on customers. The ROI just isn't there if you have to take on that huge capex expensive up front (i.e. millions of dollars in borrowing) and still sell the service at a loss in order to siphon customers off of Big Cable.

This is likely a US-centric opinion. In my side of the world, fiber is only available when there's a significant density for the ISP to deploy fiber cables or the government to deploy those fiber cables.
 
Generally speaking, living in a high density city means you're less likely to get fiber. The cable ISPs already have mature, complete HFC plants in most cities now. Nobody is going to spend a fortune to boar and bury underground fiber when there's already coax in the ground and incumbent ISPs have a stranglehold on customers. The ROI just isn't there if you have to take on that huge capex expensive up front (i.e. millions of dollars in borrowing) and still sell the service at a loss in order to siphon customers off of Big Cable.

Meanwhile, RDOF funding has driven Charter, among others, to expand fiber to the home in many rural areas that were previously unserved by wired broadband. In my region, five fiber overbuilders split up among several smaller territories are bringing fiber to the home in places where the only option is an expensive cable option that maxes out at 940 down/35 up, or occasionally DSL from the LEC.

Several counties and cities in the region have also taken on the initiative themselves and built fiber to the premises networks that offer better speeds (symmetric gigabit or higher, instead of a lopsided 10-40 Mbps upstream speed) and lower latency for 33-50% lower price than the cable company -- assuming you can get cable internet in many of these areas at all.
Can confirm, lived in one of the more central bits of London, UK for 15 years and could never get FTTH set up - only 70Mbps over phone lines or variable 5G. Moved to a small city near the coast and got 2.3Gbps fibre!
 
I can only think of one place in 20 years that I didn't have cellular coverage outdoors and it was a small stretch along a rural road that only lasted about 30 seconds.
In the UK I don't even have coverage in my local city, never mind my home.

Not that i'd use satellite instead of course.
 
I use and pay for a service from Garmin for emergency SOS via sat connection. I've never had to use it. Apple's service was looking interesting since I carry a phone anyways, but the garmin devices are designed to get dropped off a cliff (ok, maybe thats a bit extreme) and are quite rugged and sip battery. I wouldn't trust my iPhone in an emergency situation in a camping or hiking trip.
You make some great points and having been involved in remote activities myself that last anywhere from 1-8 days, I lived by the same mantra and dutifully carried my Garmin communications device for years.

Last fall, I started utilizing my iPhone’s
Satellite features and I carried both (iPhone and Garmin) and after testing them side by side and also evaluating battery needs and recharging options, it became very clear to me that it was time for the Garmin to go and I cancelled my subscription.

With the advent of battery management features and recharging options, combined with Apple’s excellent interface, ease of use, and no-cost solution, the answer was clear to me.

I can see a few situations where a Garmin can stil make sense, but those situations have dwindled greatly in the last couple years.

Now what I can’t wait for is emergency satellite capability to hopefully arrive in the Ultra 3 this fall. That will completely solve 24-hour use cases in which I must travel as lightly as possible with as little as possible. For example, on long trail runs and speed hikes.

All of this technology has been moving forward at a rapid pace and I am excited about the different choices available now!
 
Not sure Boeing would have been the right partner... They would have finished the project 2 decades behind projection and they would have delivered it 3 times over the budget.. As the US government how it works..
 
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