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Apple teams up with T-Mobile and SpaceX to support Elon Musk’s Starlink on iPhones

MacDailyNews

Feb 3

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In 2022, Apple made its initial venture into satellite technology with the introduction of Emergency SOS on the iPhone 14. This feature enabled the phone to connect to satellites in regions lacking cellular service, utilizing Globalstar Inc.’s satellites to contact emergency services. Over time, the service expanded to include connections to roadside assistance and the ability to send messages to non-emergency contacts. Now, the iPhone is set to receive yet another significant satellite-based feature.

Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
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With the new iOS 18.3 update, Apple will begin supporting third-party satellite networks that are managed by cellular carriers. That will get underway in the US with T-Mobile US Inc.’s rollout of SpaceX’s Starlink service. This new offering launched as a beta test in recent days, and some iPhone users have been selected by T-Mobile to take part in the program. This should be a big benefit for customers, especially since Elon Musk’s Starlink is poised to offer more features.
For instance, Starlink expects to add support for voice calling and video downloads — something Apple doesn’t currently plan to do with the Globalstar system. Though the Starlink service is just offered by T-Mobile, AT&T Inc. has been working with AST SpaceMobile Inc. on its own satellite offering. Verizon Communications Inc., meanwhile, has partnered with Skylo Technologies Inc., and several international carriers have talked up plans for their own services to provide off-the-grid data.
Even with all these options, I don’t expect Apple to abandon the service that it created with Globalstar. But it ultimately may not make financial sense for Apple to plow billions of dollars into its own platform when there are so many alternatives.

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MacDailyNews Take: We pity those carriers are not teaming up with SpaceX’s Starlink. T-Mobile has teamed with Coca-Cola. Verizon and AT&T are teaming with RC, or even worse.

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