Kuo: Apple Has Completed Hardware Tests for iPhone 14 Satellite Connectivity, But Launch Depends on Partners
Apple is indeed working on satellite connectivity for the iPhone 14 and completed hardware tests for the feature ahead of mass production, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo says that Apple has the hardware support for satellite connectivity, but whether the iPhone 14 will support satellite communications depends on "whether Apple and operators can settle the business model." The iPhone 13 also has satellite hardware, but connectivity was not implemented because "the business model had not been negotiated."
According to Kuo, it is "hard to predict" when the iPhone will offer satellite communication services, but it is expected to happen "eventually." When it is implemented, in the iPhone 14 or beyond, satellite connectivity will be used for emergency texting and voice services. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said that iPhone users will be able to use satellite connectivity to report emergencies to authorities in areas with no cellular service, and send short messages to contacts in the event of an emergency.
Rumors have suggested that Apple is working with Globalstar, and Kuo says that is indeed the operator that Apple is most likely to partner with. Satellite communications consultant Tim Ferrar said on Friday that he expects Apple and Globalstar to launch a satellite communications feature for the iPhone 14.
T-Mobile and SpaceX last week announced a plan to provide smartphone connectivity anywhere in the United States using "satellite-to-cellular" service, and the timing of the announcement may have been planned to preempt Apple's own satellite-related announcement. SpaceX and T-Mobile plan to launch a beta of the service in 2023, and it likely will not require an iPhone 14.
Popular Stories
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.
Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the test booth before it was abruptly removed, the new panel "has no crease at all" in comparison.
The ...
Though it's been just a few months since iOS 26 launched, we're already hearing rumors about the next-generation version of iOS, iOS 27. iOS 27 will be introduced at Apple's June WWDC 2026 event before it launches in September 2026.
We don't know all of the details about iOS 27 yet, but we do have some information about what to expect.
"Snow Leopard" Update
iOS 27 will apparently focus...
JPMorgan Chase has reached a deal to take over operation of the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. Barring any "last minute hiccups," the deal should be announced shortly after over a year of negotiations.
Reports began circulating over two years ago that current Apple Card issuer Goldman Sachs was looking to end its partnership with Apple as part of an effort to scale back on...
Logitech users on macOS found themselves locked out of their mouse customizations yesterday after the company let a security certificate expire, breaking both its Logi Options+ and G HUB configuration apps.
Logitech devices like its MX Master series mice and MX Keys keyboards stopped working properly as a result of the oversight, with users unable to access their custom scrolling setup,...
OpenAI today announced the launch of ChatGPT Health, a dedicated section of ChatGPT where users can ask health-related questions completely separated from their main ChatGPT experience.
For more personalized responses, users can connect various health data services such as Apple Health, Function, MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, AllTrails, Instacart, and Peloton. Last month, MacRumors discovere...
Apple has lost another senior figure from its Safari team as a lead designer departs for The Browser Company, extending a pattern of high-profile exits from Apple's browser team amid intensifying competition around AI-driven browsing.
Marco Triverio was a lead designer for Safari and has now joined The Browser Company, the developer of the Arc and Dia browsers. The move was confirmed by The...
