Update: Confirming the news, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has now revealed that upcoming iPhone models (including iPhone 13) would include hardware capable of LEO satellite communication, but the software to make this possible is “unlikely to be ready before next year.” Meaning even if Apple launches this feature with its next iPhone in September you won’t be able to use it until next year.
Additionally, Gurman revealed that LEO satellite support will focus on emergency scenarios only and there will be two satellite connectivity related features,
- Ability to send a short message to emergency services or contacts even without a cellular connection (probably by integrating it with the Messages app).
- A tool that will report a crisis like plane crashes and sinking ships or other details like potentially dangerous persons.
According to Bloomberg’s report, to connect with a satellite user would require to be outside, and it may take up to one minute to get a signal. Also, Apple’s LEO satellite communications support will vary by region, in accordance with local laws.
Original Article: Apple is about to revel its next iPhone in coming months and rumor mill is now suggesting that it might be the first in series to have bulti-in satellite communication. As reported by 9to5Mac, Noted Apple anaylst Ming-Chi Kuo is claiming that the upcoming iPhone 13 models will come with LEO satellite communication technology letting its users send messages, make calls even without having a standard 4G/5G network.
Ming-chi Kuo also speculates that Apple might use LEO (low-Earth orbit) satellite communication in its Apple Car, Apple AR headsets in near future.
As per Kuo, the upcoming iPhone will be employing a customized version of the Qualcomm X60 baseband modem chip to power the communication across satellites. However, it is unknown that this communication over satellite will work with Apple services like iMessage and FaceTime only, but it’s likely that tech giants will partner with Globalstar fo this service.
Apple is to announce the launch of the iPhone 13 in September, and it will be similar in large extent to the iPhone 12 in the dimension of screen and form. The anticipated addition includes an upgrade in camera specs, higher-restore rate display for the Pro models. It would be the first phone to link up such technology making it little hard for competitors to match.