Elon Musk on Thursday tweeted that SpaceX has held “promising” talks with Apple about bringing satellite connectivity to iPhones using the space launch company’s Starlink service.
The tweet comes one day after Apple said it would partner with Globalstar for satellite-based service on its iPhone 14 series.
Loren Grush for Bloomberg News:
The companies have had “promising conversations,” SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Musk said Thursday in a tweet. Using satellites for cell phones would work best when the technology is specifically tailored to space-based signals, he said.
SpaceX and Apple didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
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
MacDailyNews Take: iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduce Emergency SOS via satellite, a first in the industry.
Emergency SOS via satellite combines custom components deeply integrated with software to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Satellites are moving targets with low bandwidth, and it can take minutes for messages to get through. Since every second counts, with Emergency SOS via satellite, iPhone front-loads a few vital questions to assess the user’s situation, and shows them where to point their phone to connect to a satellite. The initial questionnaire and follow-up messages are then relayed to centers staffed by Apple‑trained specialists who can call for help on the user’s behalf. This breakthrough technology also allows users to manually share their location over satellite with Find My when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connection, providing a sense of security when hiking or camping off the grid. Emergency SOS via satellite will be available to users in the US and Canada in November, and the service will be free for two years.
Please help support MacDailyNews. Click or tap here to support our independent tech blog. Thank you!
Shop The Apple Store at Amazon.