Apple is currently working on five new satellite connectivity features for the iPhone, reports Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. Gurman’s comments came in the latest edition of his “Power On” newsletter.
Gurman said the new features in development include:
- A satellite framework for third-party apps: Apple is building an API that will let developers add satellite connections to their own apps. Implementation will be up to the app makers, and not every feature or service will be compatible.
- Satellite-powered maps: The company is eyeing bringing satellite connectivity to Apple Maps, allowing users to navigate without cellular or Wi-Fi access.
- Richer messaging capabilities: Apple is working on enhanced satellite messaging that supports photos in addition to basic text messages.
- “Natural usage” improvements: One of the biggest limitations of Apple’s current system is the need for an unobstructed view of the sky. The company aims to let users stay connected while their iPhone is in a pocket, car or even indoors — eliminating the need to physically point the device toward the sky. This approach is known in the industry as “natural usage.”
- Satellite over 5G: On the hardware side, as earlier reported by the Information, next year’s iPhones are slated to support 5G NTN. That allows cellular towers to tap satellites for increased coverage.
Gurman didn’t mention any plans to enable phone calls, video calls, or web browsing via satellite at present.
While Apple’s satellite connectivity features are currently available for free, Apple reportedly plans to let customers pay satellite carriers for more advanced features directly.
Many of the new satellite features in development will apparently require upgrades to Globalstar’s aging infrastructure. Gurman said that if Elon Musk’s SpaceX acquires Globalstar, the necessary upgrades could be put in place much faster.
