Unexpectedly for many, Apple has quietly integrated Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network into its latest iPhone software update, iOS 18.3. The partnership, which was announced without much fanfare, offers iPhone users an alternative to Apple’s existing Globalstar satellite service and marks a significant win for Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The iOS 18.3 update, which is currently rolling out globally, allows a select group of iPhone users to access the beta version of Starlink via T-Mobile. Needless to say, at the time of writing, it was only available in the US. Initially, the service is limited to text messaging, but in the future it is planned to expand its functionality to include data and voice calls.
In an unexpected turn of events, Apple has quietly integrated Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network into its latest iPhone software update, iOS 18.3. The partnership, which was announced without much fanfare, offers iPhone users an alternative to Apple’s existing Globalstar satellite service and marks a significant win for Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The iOS 18.3 update, which is currently rolling out globally, allows a select group of iPhone users to access the beta version of Starlink via T-Mobile. Needless to say, at the time of writing, it was only available in the US. Initially, the service is limited to text messaging, but there are plans to expand its capabilities to include data and voice calls in the future.
Starlink has a significant advantage over Globalstar because, unlike Globalstar, which requires users to manually point their iPhones at the sky to establish a connection, Starlink works in the background, even when the device is hidden in a pocket.
Elon Musk himself wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter) to express his enthusiasm for the rollout of this technology. He suggested that the current Starlink technology could eventually support the transfer of images, music, and podcasts, with video capabilities coming in the future.
For now, the partnership is limited to the US and is only available to a small group of people, with no word on whether or when it will be available in other markets. As for India, SpaceX is reportedly close to obtaining a license for its satellite broadband services after passing key government conditions on security and data storage.
