Will the iPhone 14 Pro have satellite connectivity?
The next iPhones are just days away and in the run-up to the unveiling on Wednesday, September 7, predictions of new features are coming thick and fast. Including one that says the iPhone 14 Pro, and subsequent Apple Watch Pro models, will have satellite connectivity.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, that space-oriented invite to the next Apple special event, may hint at a way to send an emergency text even if you don’t have cellphone service. Gurman says, “The feature, dubbed Emergency Message via Satellite internally, is designed to let users of compatible iPhones send SOS messages to first responders if they’re, say, in the mountains or at sea.”
That’s pretty cool, though you may feel it won’t impact you if you don’t go hiking in the great outdoors, for instance. But if you do like going where there’s no cell service, you might not need to carry dedicated satellite devices with you, such as the Garmin inReach, which is a chunky gadget to say the least.
But there’s more. Gurman explains: “A corresponding feature is designed to let iPhone users report emergencies—like boating accidents, plane crashes and shootings—in areas without cellular service.”
Again, you will hope you never witness any of the above, but the sense of helplessness, if you are near something horrific but can’t call it in, will surely be overcome with this feature.
And, let’s remember, this is Apple. So, the initial feature won’t be the final one. When Apple introduced Touch ID to the iPhone, it added useful security and convenience. But Apple know that it was only the first step, and provided the foundation from which Apple Pay could grow.
Similarly, Gurman believes that more features will come to this kind of connectivity. “The prospect of having an iPhone that can reach first responders without a cellular connection is only the beginning of what Apple is planning. Ultimately, users could have global internet access and be able to make regular phone calls over satellite links. The combination of speedy 5G networks and satellite service could one day turn the iPhone into the most powerful global communications device available.”
Apple has been looking into this for a while, with insiders reporting that if it had been technically possible, Steve Jobs would have launched the first iPhone with satellite connectivity, so Apple would never have had to go through service providers.
Finally, Gurman believes the feature could also be put into the Apple Watch one day. This would be a good fit with the predicted Apple Watch Pro, a ruggedized Watch that is designed for lovers of extreme sports. It’s not expected to be in the Watch that will be revealed alongside the iPhone 14 series, but a future model.
Let’s note that analysts have suggested satellite compatibility before, claiming it would arrive with the iPhone 13, but that didn’t happen. Maybe 2022 is the year it’ll happen, though it may not launch straight away and my guess is it may be limited to the Pro handsets.
