“Apple Inc. has been secretly working with SpaceX and T-Mobile US Inc. to add support for the Starlink network in its latest iPhone software, providing an alternative to the company’s in-house satellite-communication service,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Gurman refers to the software update that enables this technology as a “sneaky move,” and the partnership between the companies as “unexpected.”
T-Mobile previously offered a Starlink satellite feature for users to send emergency messages when they were out of cellular range, but it was limited to Samsung devices. Meanwhile, Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite relied on the competing Globalstar network.
Mario Nawfal, the founder of IBC Group, shared on X that the update is a “game changer,” noting that “Apple quietly adds Starlink to iPhones in iOS 18.3.” Given that Apple already has its Globalstar service, what makes this such a game-changer?
Nawfal summed it up nicely: “The big change? You don’t have to point your phone at the sky anymore—Starlink works right from your pocket.” Elon Musk shared Nawfal’s thoughts, adding that “Medium resolution images, music, and audio podcasts should be good to go with the current Starlink direct-to-phone setup. The next version will handle medium resolution video.”
A few iPhones on the T-Mobile network are currently in a beta test, getting messages like, “You’re in the T-Mobile Starlink beta. You can now text via satellite from almost anywhere. To start enjoying coverage beyond, please update to iOS 18.3.”
T-Mobile mentioned that the test will kick off with “select optimized smartphones,” but the full rollout will cater to most modern smartphones. They’ve also opened the beta to some Android users with the latest Android 15 software.
There’s been a lot of talk about Apple expanding support to other satellite networks besides Globalstar, and Elon Musk has mentioned that he chatted with Apple about Starlink back in 2022.
The system is designed so that if a T-Mobile phone enrolled in the Starlink program loses cellular service, it will attempt to connect with SpaceX satellites. Users can also enable texting through the satellite menu for Globalstar or reach emergency services via Apple, as mentioned in the report.
According to Gurman, those in the program will find a new toggle in their iPhone's cellular data settings to control the satellite feature.
Initially, the service is focused on texting, but SpaceX and T-Mobile have plans to roll out data connections and voice calls later on. The service will automatically connect an iPhone on T-Mobile to SpaceX satellites when there's no cellular signal. Currently, only a small number of iPhones are part of the beta, but T-Mobile aims to broaden the program in February, as Gurman notes.
At the moment, this connectivity is only available in the U.S. and is compatible with iPhone models starting from the iPhone 14.