Apple is secretly testing Starlink satellite connectivity for select iPhone users

(Image credit: 123RF)

Apple, T-Mobile and SpaceX are reportedly teaming up to bring Starlink to iPhone users
This would add another satellite connectivity option for Apple fans
It’s currently in beta testing for small numbers of T-Mobile customers

Apple has offered satellite connectivity to its iPhone users for a couple years now, and it can help you out when you don’t have access to cell service. But that soon might not be the only type of satellite connection on offer to iPhone users, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

The website claims that Apple is in secret talks with SpaceX and T-Mobile US to add support for Starlink’s satellite network. In fact, the latest iOS 18.3 update, which was released on January 27, apparently contains “under-the-radar” support for Starlink, Bloomberg says.

Bloomberg describes this as a possible alternative to Apple’s own satellite service, and says the companies have been covertly testing iPhones equipped with Starlink connectivity.

As the report points out, the move comes as something of a surprise. Apple already has a satellite provider in Globalstar, while T-Mobile has previously only offered Starlink to Samsung users. Yet T-Mobile has recently begun allowing iPhone users to access Starlink as part of a beta test, signaling that a broader change is on the way.

In a message sent to beta users, T-Mobile says: “You’re in the T-Mobile Starlink beta. You can now stay connected with texting via satellite from virtually anywhere,” while also specifying the iOS 18.3 requirement. If you’re part of the beta, you’ll see a new toggle in the Settings app to manage Starlink connectivity. T-Mobile told Bloomberg that “the vast majority of modern smartphones” will soon support the feature.

What this means

iPhone 14 Emergency SOS via Satellite — (Image credit: Future)

Support for Starlink could give iPhone users another option for satellite connectivity, and might provide an alternative if they can’t connect to Globalstar’s network. It also sounds like it might have more applicable uses than Globalstar’s option, which is mostly limited to emergency contacts and contacting first responders for now.

SpaceX owner Elon Musk seemed to confirm the Starlink-Apple link-up in a post on X. Commenting on a post made about the partnership, Musk said that “Medium resolution images, music & audio podcasts should work with the current generation Starlink direct-to-phone constellation.” He also added that “Next generation constellation will do medium resolution video.”

For now, Starlink only works with text messages on iPhones, but support for data and video calls is apparently in the works. It’s also limited to the US, in contrast to Apple’s Globalstar partnership, which works in several nations. Unlike Globalstar, however, you don’t need to point your phone to the sky to connect to Starlink, and it should even work when your phone is in your pocket.

Most of the best iPhones support Starlink connectivity, Bloomberg reports, with the feature also coming to the Apple Watch Ultra “later this year.” So, make sure to keep your eyes on the skies as further details emerge.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.