Media: iPhone 18 Pro may get direct connection to Starlink satellite internet — Apple and SpaceX in negotiations
According to The Information, Apple is discussing with SpaceX the possibility of integrating Direct‑to‑Cell technology into the iPhone 18 Pro line. This feature will allow smartphones to connect to Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit just like regular cell towers, without external modems, antennas, or accessories.
What is known
Currently, Apple uses the Globalstar network for the Emergency SOS feature, but according to insiders, relations between the companies are deteriorating: despite Apple's investments of about $2 billion, Globalstar is considering selling the business for $10 billion amid Starlink's dominance in the satellite internet segment.
Apple, in turn, aims to expand the capabilities of the iPhone and provide full-fledged satellite 5G internet and messaging outside terrestrial network coverage areas by 2026–2027.
The technical base for the project will be provided by second-generation Starlink satellites (Gen2). SpaceX has already received permission from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate 15,000 such satellites, which have 20 times the capacity and can directly connect to smartphones.
According to The Information, negotiations are ongoing and the details of the agreement have not yet been disclosed. However, if Apple and SpaceX reach an agreement, the iPhone 18 Pro could become the first mass-market smartphone with full-fledged satellite communication without carriers.
Source: The Information
