MacRumors by Joe Rossignol 8/25/2022
Below, we've outlined some key details about the T-Mobile and SpaceX plans and what the launch of the service will mean for iPhone users.
Will the satellite connectivity work with iPhones?T-Mobile said the "vast majority of smartphones" already connected to its network will be compatible with the new "satellite-to-cellular" service, and this will presumably include iPhones. We've reached out to T-Mobile and Apple for clarification, but the companies did not immediately respond to our requests for comment.
T-Mobile said satellite connectivity will use a smartphone's existing cellular chip and will not require a Starlink terminal or any other hardware.
Will the satellite connectivity require an iPhone 14?As mentioned above, T-Mobile said the "vast majority" of existing smartphones will be compatible with its satellite connectivity service right out of the box, so it does not sound like the feature will require Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 models.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that iPhone 14 models could feature satellite connectivity for emergency use, but he said that Apple's partner would likely be satellite company Globalstar, rather than SpaceX, so the feature may be unrelated.
Will the service work for phone calls and text messages? What about iMessage?Starlink's direct satellite connectivity to smartphones will initially work with SMS and MMS text messages and "participating messaging apps," according to T-Mobile and SpaceX. The announcement did not name any participating messaging apps, so it's unclear if Apple's iMessage service will be supported at launch.
More:
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/08/25/tmobile-spacex-satellite-connectivity-iphone/
