Apple’s initial foray into satellite connectivity with Emergency SOS for iPhones proved genuinely lifesaving. Now, the company is preparing to dramatically expand that feature set. They reportedly plan to move far beyond simple emergency texts to create a robust, non-cellular communication network integrated directly into future iPhones. The biggest game-changer? You might soon be able to use satellite service on your iPhone without even taking your phone out of your pocket thanks to new features in development.
iPhone satellite upgrades: You won’t need to point your phone at the sky Anymore
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is currently deep in development on what it calls “natural usage” improvements. Right now, using the emergency service requires you to stand in the open and physically point your iPhone toward an orbiting satellite. The goal of natural usage is to eliminate this requirement. The move would allow the phone to maintain a connection while it sits in your pocket, inside a car, or even indoors, enabling continuous, background connectivity. Future iPhones, possibly starting next year, will need broader hardware support. They could integrate 5G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) to facilitate this leap in coverage.
The expanded connectivity will unlock significant new functionality across Apple’s core services.
For travelers or outdoor enthusiasts, Apple is working to bring satellite connectivity to Apple Maps. This means you can navigate and receive map data even when completely off-grid. Messaging also gets an upgrade. The existing text-only limit in emergencies will expand to support sending photos via satellite in the Messages app.
App developers may integrate with iPhone’s satellite services
Furthermore, Apple plans to build a dedicated API framework allowing third-party app developers to voluntarily integrate satellite connections into their own software. This opens the door for new services that were previously impossible without a cellular signal.
The effort is not just software-based; it requires big hardware and infrastructure investment. Many of these enhancements need major upgrades to the Globalstar satellite constellation, a company Apple has already helped finance. However, there have been rumors lately about Globalstar exploring a potential sale. Elon Musk’s SpaceX could be the company that takes Globalstar. If this really happens, it could force Apple to reconsider its long-term strategy.
Apple appears to view advanced satellite features as a core pillar of its iPhone ecosystem. The company provides basic, life-saving features like Emergency SOS for free to encourage iPhone sales and upgrades. However, for more advanced capabilities—such as extended connectivity or third-party usage—Apple plans to have users pay satellite carriers or providers directly.
The post iPhone to Make Satellite Features Mainstream with These Improvements appeared first on Android Headlines.
