With 3,000 satellites in orbit and a few dozen more in sight, the Starlink system, promoted by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, will not have integration with the emergency feature of the new iPhone 14 models. Apple about a possible relationship between the giants.
As Apple often points out, its custom integration with hardware and software can deliver experiences few other companies can match. iPhone 14 Satellite Communications feature utilizes custom hardware and software features to assist customers in emergency situations
It allows iPhone antennas to connect directly to Globalstar communication satellites. On the subject, in response to a follower, Elon Musk tweeted last Thursday that he had “promising conversations with Apple about connectivity to Starlink.”
We’ve had some promising conversations with Apple about Starlink connectivity. iPhone team is obv super smart.
For sure, closing link from space to phone will work best if phone software & hardware adapt to space-based signals vs Starlink purely emulating cell tower.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 8, 2022
“The iPhone team is obviously super smart,” he said. “For sure, approaching the space link with the phone will work better if the phone’s software and hardware adapts to space-based signals versus Starlink purely emulating the cell tower.”
Thinking about the American scenario, in late August SpaceX and T-Mobile, one of the largest operators in the US, announced a collaboration in satellite communication on smartphones. The two claimed that this type of phone connection would be available to users everywhere, or at least “pretty much everywhere”.
The plan with T-Mobile and SpaceX isn’t as comprehensive, though, as Apple’s satellite feature. T-Mobile will provide satellite communications for relatively modern smartphones with compatible modems. It will be limited to text messages like Apple’s system — but first you need to have your system complete and working.
SpaceX has a group of Starlink satellites that it is using for its own brand of internet connectivity. The company has been promoting this product for years, but general roll-out has been slow.
