According to Bloomberg, Apple has added support for communication via Starlink satellites in the iOS 18.3 update to the iPhone.
Currently, the innovation works only in the United States for T-Mobile subscribers who have a compatible iPhone and access to the Starlink beta. According to Bloomberg, Apple has been secretly working on the project with SpaceX and T-Mobile.
The feature would utilize SpaceX Starlink technology and roll out first to T-Mobile users. pic.twitter.com/OEZmd8vMyH
Apple may soon release a satellite data feature which would allow users to access the internet even without a cellular connection, via @markgurman ‼️🛰️
— AppleTrack (@appltrack) January 29, 2025
The feature would utilize SpaceX Starlink technology and roll out first to T-Mobile users. pic.twitter.com/OEZmd8vMyHWith the new integration, the iPhone will be able to automatically connect to Starlink satellites in the absence of mobile coverage. Currently, Starlink only supports text messaging, but T-Mobile and SpaceX plan to add support for data and voice calls in the future. The innovation works with iPhone 14 and newer models.
By the way, with the release of the iPhone 14 in 2022, Apple added satellite support for text messaging to its smartphones through a partnership with Globalstar. Therefore, iPhone users with access to Starlink can also send messages via Apple's built-in satellite service. Both technologies are only available in the absence of a mobile network.
T-Mobile announced a partnership with Starlink in 2022 and launched a beta program in December 2024 that allows subscribers to send text messages via Starlink satellites in areas without mobile coverage. At the time, the T-Mobile Starlink beta program was only available for Samsung smartphones, and iPhones were not supported.