Next iPhones’ satellite connectivity could rocket way beyond SOS

Apple’s satellite connectivity journey began as a lifesaving emergency feature with the iPhone 14 in 2022. But the company’s ambitions go far beyond distress signals to more advanced iPhone satellite features. Experts see a dramatic expansion of satellite capabilities coming to transform how we think about smartphone connectivity. iPhone 18 in 2026 and later handsets could see satellite features evolve from emergency backup to everyday uses.

Advanced iPhone satellite features: From emergency tool to always-connected ecosystem

The current satellite experience on iPhone 14 through iPhone 17 models requires users to hold their device skyward, carefully pointing it toward satellites orbiting overhead. Messages crawl at a glacial pace, limited to text-only emergency communications. This technology has helped save hikers stranded in remote wilderness and disaster victims cut off from cellular networks. But it remains a feature reserved for desperate circumstances rather than daily use. However, signs point to that changing soon. 

Apple’s vision for iPhone 18 and subsequent models represents a fundamental paradigm shift. The iPhone giant wants make satellite connectivity “natural” — eliminating the need to point your phone at the sky entirely — according to reports from Bloomberg and industry analysts. Future iPhones are expected to maintain satellite connections while tucked in your pocket, sitting on a car dashboard or even used indoors. They’ll seamlessly switch between cellular and satellite networks as needed.

This transformation is enabled by Apple’s development of 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN) technology. It allows cellular towers to leverage satellite links to dramatically extend coverage into remote areas. Rather than treating satellite as a separate emergency system, iPhone 18 era will integrate it as part of the standard connectivity stack.

Photos, maps, and third-party apps: Expanding the satellite toolbox

Perhaps the most exciting development coming to post-iPhone 17 devices is the dramatic expansion of what you can actually do via satellite. Apple is actively developing several capabilities that will debut on the iPhone 18 Pro models, according to reports.

Photo sharing via satellite represents a significant bandwidth leap. While iOS 18 introduced basic text messaging over satellite, the ability to send and receive images requires substantially more data throughput. This enhancement will make satellite messaging genuinely practical for staying in touch with family during backcountry adventures or documenting emergencies with visual evidence.

Navigation is getting the satellite treatment as well. Apple Maps integration will allow users to access detailed maps and turn-by-turn directions without any cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Combined with weather updates pulled directly via satellite, this could make the iPhone 18 an indispensable tool for outdoor enthusiasts, remote workers, and international travelers venturing beyond traditional coverage zones.

Perhaps most transformative is Apple’s planned third-party API framework. This will allow developers of apps like WhatsApp, hiking navigation tools and other communication platforms to integrate satellite functionality directly into their applications. Rather than being limited to Apple’s native apps and services, satellite connectivity will become a platform capability that the entire app ecosystem can leverage.

The hardware revolution: Apple modems and Starlink collaboration

iPhone 18’s satellite ambitions should come through significant hardware changes. After years of relying on Qualcomm chips, Apple is expected to debut its own next-generation “C2” modem with iPhone 18, according to CNET. The modem will allow seamless switching between terrestrial cellular networks and satellite connections, improving both performance and battery efficiency.

Even more intriguing are the reports that Apple currently negotiates with SpaceX to integrate Starlink‘s direct-to-cell network into future Pro models. This potential partnership could dramatically accelerate Apple’s satellite roadmap, as Starlink’s system is designed to provide higher-speed data, voice calls and potentially even video streaming capabilities directly to unmodified smartphones.

The Starlink collaboration, if it materializes, would represent a major strategic shift. While Apple’s current satellite features rely exclusively on Globalstar’s constellation, Starlink offers a vastly larger network of low Earth orbit satellites with more advanced direct-to-device capabilities. This could enable the iPhone 18 Pro to offer satellite connectivity that approaches the speeds and functionality of traditional cellular networks, at least for basic communication and data tasks.

The subscription question: will satellite connectivity cost extra?

Current iPhone users with models 14 through 17 enjoy Emergency SOS via satellite free of charge, with Apple repeatedly extending the complimentary access period. However, the advanced features coming to iPhone 18 and beyond may introduce new pricing models.

The higher-bandwidth capabilities enabled by 5G satellite networks — including photo sharing, mapping, and third-party app integration — will likely require premium subscription services. These could integrate with carrier plans or potentially require direct payments to satellite service providers like Starlink.

Apple is reportedly helping to finance the expansion of Globalstar’s satellite constellation. That suggests the company remains committed to offering at least basic satellite features as part of the standard iPhone experience. But the most advanced capabilities, particularly those leveraging Starlink’s network for data-intensive applications, could become premium add-ons similar to how carriers currently tier cellular data plans.

Timeline and availability: When and where will we see these features?

Industry analysts expect iPhone 18 Pro, Fold and Air models to launch in September 2026, with standard iPhone 18 pushed to 2027. Satellite feature rollout will likely stagger by model and region. The most advanced capabilities — including photo sharing, Maps integration, and potential Starlink connectivity — should appear in iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, according to multiple reports.

Geographic availability will also play a crucial role. Satellite connectivity features require regulatory approval in each country. And the complex web of spectrum allocation and licensing means advanced features may debut in the United States and select markets before expanding globally. Users get Apple’s current Emergency SOS via satellite in over a dozen countries. But the more ambitious always-connected vision will require navigating significantly more regulatory complexity.

Advanced iPhone satellite features: Ubiquitous connectivity as endgame

Apple’s satellite roadmap reveals an ambitious vision: smartphones that never lose connection, regardless of location. By the end of the decade, the distinction between cellular and satellite connectivity may become invisible to users. Devices could automatically leverage whichever network provides the best connection at any given moment.

This transformation extends beyond mere convenience. Truly ubiquitous connectivity could reshape remote work, enable new applications in agriculture and environmental monitoring, provide crucial connectivity during natural disasters and bring internet access to underserved regions. And all that without the massive infrastructure investment required for traditional cellular networks.

As we look past iPhone 17 to iPhone 18 and beyond, satellite connectivity could evolve from an emergency feature into a fundamental pillar of how smartphones connect to the world. The trajectory is clear. The future of mobile connectivity isn’t just cellular or satellite. It’s both, working together to always keep you connected, wherever you are.

David Snow

David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.

With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.

Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.

Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.