iPhone 14 and newer has access to SOS via satellite
Apple worked with Starlink and T-Mobile in secret to prepare iPhones for extended satellite connectivity, and functionality is now activated with iOS 18.3 before the launch of the full service.
When Apple initially launched SOS via satellite in 2022 with the iPhone 14, its only partner was GlobalStar. Elon Musk shared that he had had promising conversations on the establishment of Starlink in the mixture, and two years later, it happens.
According to a report Since BloombergApple has activated Starlink connectivity with iOS 18.3. However, the Starlink service offered via T-Mobile is still in a beta of early access and will not deploy in the United States before 2025.
A notification for T-Mobile users was sent to people selected for the beta version of early access. It included a reference to iOS 18.3, which allowed the functionality.
“You are in the T-Mobile Starlink Beta. You can now stay connected with SMS via satellite of practically anywhere. To start living a blanket beyond, please update to iOS 18.3.”
A t-mobile press release About the Starlink program indicates that the beta program is open and free for all T-Mobile postpayed vocal customers with a compatible device. The open beta version should start in early 2025.
“T-Mobile Starlink is the first large constellation of low orbit in the world associated with a terrestrial cell spectrum, which makes the phone in your pocket in the areas of the United States which never, and probably never, n ‘Have no ground cover, “said Mike Katz, President of Marketing, Strategy and Products, T-Mobile, in the press release.” It is a truly revolutionary engineering and means that We are one more step to help T-Mobile customers trust that, no matter where they are, if they can see the sky, they will be covered by T-Mobile. “
All iPhone 14 and more recent models support SOS via satellite, and they should all be able to use the new Starlink feature. Rumors suggest that Apple is also working on satellite connectivity in the Ultra 3 Apple Watch.
