Your iPhone’s satellite connectivity could soon get five big upgrades

The future of iPhone connectivity could soon change in some impressive ways, as Apple reportedly looks into how it can better utilize satellites.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman broke down five major satellite-backed features for iPhone that Apple is reportedly working on in his most recent newsletter.

Alongside the aim of enhancing existing iPhone satellite messaging, such as by including support for photos in addition to text, Apple is also looking to remove the limitation that requires iPhones to have an unobstructed view of the sky to connect to a satellite. Instead, the company is working towards what the industry calls "natural usage." This would allow the iPhone to stay connected in your pocket or while indoors.

This could be a big help to another planned change from Apple: satellite-powered maps. Reportedly, the company is planning to bring satellite connectivity to Apple Maps, making it easier to navigate when there's no cellular or Wifi access.

Gurman also claims that the next generation of iPhone could support 5G NTN. Essentially, this allows cellular towers to connect to satellites to extend coverage. If accurate, this would help to solve those situations where you're phone is connected, but there's still no service.

Finally, Apple is alleged to be building an API that will allow developers to add satellite communication to their third-party apps. While not every feature or service will reportedly be compatible, it could still be a massive improvement for communication apps like WhatsApp.

Could Apple use its own satellites?

All together, these are some pretty impressive changes, and could massively expand how we use satellites on our phones. However, there is still one awkward question facing Apple at this point in time: whose satellites should it use?

When Apple first announced its satellite-based Emergency SOS feature back in 2022, it was announced that the feature would primarily use Globalstar, Inc.’s satellites. However, Gurman’s report indicates that Apple is debating whether or not it should launch its own satellite service. In concept, this could offer some pretty strong benefits, especially as Apple often prioritizes avoiding reliance on third-party companies.

However, Apple’s executives have historically been against the idea due to several factors. One of the most pressing issues is the cost and complexity involved in such a venture. Plus, there's the potential for increased government regulations, including potential requirements for backdoor access to services like iMessage.

For now, we will have to wait and see what Apple reveals in the coming months. However, if these changes are accurate, then we could see satellite communication take a much more central role.

Let us know what you think, and if you would like to see more satellite communication in future iPhones.

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