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Musk says he chatted with Apple about Starlink satellite communication

It sounds like we're one step closer to satellite communication via Starlink for iPhones, depending on how further SpaceX talks with Apple go.

Morgan Shaver

September 8, 2022 1:47 PM

Star Walk

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Apple recently unveiled its new iPhone 14 models which feature Emergency SOS via satellite capabilities, though none of the iPhone models utilize Starlink for satellite communication. Currently, Apple partners with satellite company GlobalStar for its satellite connections.

With that being said, it seems like Elon Musk is working to potentially change that as he recently tweeted about having “promising conversations with Apple about Starlink connectivity.”

In the tweet, Musk mentions that the iPhone team is full of “super smart” people and then goes on to suggest that the situation would work best if “phone software and hardware adapt to space-based signals” as opposed to Starlink emulating cell phone towers.

We’ve had some promising conversations with Apple about Starlink connectivity. iPhone team is obv super smart.

For sure, closing link from space to phone will work best if phone software & hardware adapt to space-based signals vs Starlink purely emulating cell tower.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 8, 2022

Apple isn’t the only company Tesla’s SpaceX is communicating with in regards to Starlink collaborations either. Back in August, T-Mobile and SpaceX announced plans to collaborate on satellite communication with smartphones in effort to eliminate dead zones, with plans to enable the “Coverage Above and Beyond” service by the end of 2023. The service will be a “free add-on” for T-Mobile customers across most of its plans according to CEO Mike Sievert.

Overall, it’ll be interesting to see how talks between Apple and SpaceX go, and whether iPhones will utilize Starlink in addition to GlobalStar, and what this means for iPhone users. Until more is revealed, we’re curious what your thoughts are. Do you think Apple will end up working with SpaceX for satellite communications? Let us know in Chatty!

For more on SpaceX, be sure to read through some of our previous coverage as well, including last week’s announcement of SpaceX and T-Mobile teaming up to bring Starlink V2 to mobile phones, and the FCC approving SpaceX mobile Starlink internet service for vehicles.

Morgan Shaver

Senior Editor

Morgan is a writer from the frozen wastelands of Maine who enjoys metal music, kpop, horror, and indie games. They're also a Tetris fanatic who's fiercely competitive in games like Tetris 99... and all games in general. But mostly Tetris. You can follow Morgan on Twitter @Author_MShaver.