Apple is indeed developing satellite communications for the iPhone 14 / Pro series and has completed hardware testing for the feature before mass production, according to Tianfeng International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The increasing frequency of natural disasters and geopolitical conflicts in recent years could make emergency SMS/voice services via satellite communications a must-have feature for smartphones.
Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple has hardware support for satellite connectivity, but whether the iPhone 14 / Pro series supports satellite communications depends on “whether Apple and the carriers can work out a business model. Apple’s iPhone 13 / Proline also has satellite hardware, but not connectivity because “the business model has not been negotiated.
It’s hard to predict exactly when the iPhone will offer satellite communications, but Kuo believes it will happen eventually, and the carrier most likely to partner with Apple for satellite communications is Globalstar.
