Enhanced satellite features on upcoming iPhones

The iPhone's emergency satellite calling feature has already proven its usefulness, prompting Apple to pursue this path with more functionalities leveraging the network of satellites orbiting Earth. The goal is to enable communication in remote areas where cellular service is unavailable. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reports that the Maps app will be interfaced with satellites, mentioning, for example, an improvement to the Messages app, currently limited to text when used via satellite, which could in the future allow users to share photos. Apple also wants to make the Maps app work via satellite, useful for navigating in the bush. On the practical side, satellite calls currently require a clear sky and that the iPhone be pointed more or less towards one of these satellites above our heads. Apple wants to make this usage more natural, with connectivity possible even if the iPhone is simply in a pocket or in a vehicle. The next step being considered to prepare for these improvements is compatibility for 2026 iPhones with NTN (non-terrestrial) 5G networks, allowing cell towers to access satellites for greater coverage.