Apple Inc. has been working with SpaceX and T-Mobile to integrate support for the Starlink satellite network into its latest iPhone software. T-Mobile confirmed this development as part of an ongoing trial to extend cellular coverage via satellite, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
T-Mobile and SpaceX, the aerospace company led by Elon Musk, have been conducting trials of the Starlink cell network following regulatory approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FTC) in November 2024. Initially, only select Android devices, such as Samsung Z Fold and S24, were compatible with the testing phase.
However, with the rollout of Apple’s latest iOS 18.3 update, iPhones have now been included in the program. The service currently supports ‘text via satellite,’ with plans to introduce voice and data connectivity.
T-Mobile customers reported the following message on their mobile phones —You’re in the T-Mobile Starlink beta. You can now stay connected by texting via satellite from virtually anywhere. To start experiencing coverage beyond, please update to iOS 18.3
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With this new integration, T-Mobile iPhones in areas without cellular coverage will automatically attempt to connect to Starlink satellites. Additionally, users can still activate satellite texting through Globalstar or access emergency services via Apple’s system, reports Bloomberg.
Currently, the program is only available in the United States, whereas Apple’s Globalstar service is operational in multiple countries. SpaceX aims to extend Starlink to other carriers worldwide.
Notably, in October 2024, the FCC granted SpaceX and T-Mobile special authorisation to activate Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capabilities to assist areas in North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene.
Apple’s entry into the Starlink direct-to-cell initiative signals a broader shift in the telecom industry towards integrating satellite connectivity into mainstream mobile services.
In 2022, Apple launched Emergency SOS via satellite with the iPhone 14 models for customers in the US and Canada. Current models, including iPhone 16, also support this initiative, with Apple planning to bring this technology to Apple Watch Ultra in 2025.
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