Possibility of iPhone 14 supporting satellite communication, application to emergency mail / phone service

It is said that the iPhone 14 will be announced at Apple's new product launch event to be held on September 8, 2022 in Japan time, and various rumors have been whispered about what new features will be installed. . Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, known for leak information on Apple products, reports that ``iPhone 14 was hardware tested for satellite communication before mass production.''

Survey updates for rumored's iPhone 14 support for satellite communication / 傳文中的 iPhone 14 support satellite communication survey update | by Ming-Chi Kuo | Aug, 2022 | Medium
https://medium.com/@mingchikuo/survey-updates-for-rumoreds-iphone-14-support-for-satellite-communication-%E5%82%B3%E8%81%9E%E4%B8%AD% E7%9A%84-iphone-14-5ef57eb15a35

An iPhone 14 satellite link could depend on Apple cutting a deal with wireless carriers - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/29/23327158/iphone-14-satellite-capabilities-carrier-agreement-negotiations

Kuo claims that the iPhone 14 has already completed hardware testing for satellite communication functions before mass production. The iPhone's satellite communication function will be mainly used to provide emergency email and phone services. However, even if satellite communication is possible as hardware, whether iPhone 14 will actually provide satellite communication services depends on whether Apple and carriers can prepare a business model. It is said that there is.

Also, according to Kuo, Apple had already completed the hardware development of the satellite communication function at the time of iPhone 13. However, the reason why it is not supported by the actual iPhone 13 is that the satellite communication business model had not yet been considered at that time.

Not limited to the iPhone, satellite communication with smartphones has already advanced to the practical stage, and MediaTek , a Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer, reports that `` 5G connection experiments via low-earth orbit satellites with smartphones have been successfully conducted. Kuo also said that Huawei is likely to offer a service that can send emergency emails via satellite communication with the Mate 50, which is scheduled to be announced in September 2022.

In addition, T-Mobile, a major American telecommunications carrier, has announced plans to partner with SpaceX, a space development company, to enable direct access to Starlink's communication network with smartphones in the future.

SpaceX and T-Mobile announce plans to enable direct communication between mobile phones and Starlink satellites - GIGAZINE

by Official SpaceX Photos

Kuo argues that ``satellite communication is likely to be available on the iPhone,'' as other mobile phone manufacturers and carriers are actively working on satellite communication with smartphones. . Kuo also commented, 'It's difficult to predict exactly when Apple will offer satellite communications on the iPhone, but I think it will eventually happen.'