Starlink is reportedly partnering with Apple and T-Mobile to bring its satellite internet access to iPhones. According to Bloomberg, the companies have secretly been testing out the service with the iPhone’s latest software update, released Monday, Jan. 27, now supporting the technology.
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T-Mobile partnered with Elon Musk’s SpaceX last year, launching a beta program for Starlink connectivity but only offered the option on Samsung phones.
Point phone camera here
What is Elon Musk’s response?
Musk commented on news of the Apple partnership in a post on X.
“Medium resolution images, music and audio podcasts should work with the current generation Starlink direct-to-phone constellation,” Musk said.
He also added the next generation Starlink constellation will do “medium resolution” video.
Medium resolution images, music & audio podcasts should work with the current generation Starlink direct-to-phone constellation.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2025
Next generation constellation will do medium resolution video. https://t.co/yfDPbkgSJH
Bloomberg reported the feature should be available on most current iPhone models and Apple’s Ultra smartwatch later this year.
Apple hasn’t commented on the reported partnership.
Where does Apple’s partnership with Globalstar stand?
However, this isn’t the company’s first run with satellite connectivity.
It already partnered with Globalstar in 2022 and since then there’s been speculation about whether it might eventually support competing networks.
However, the two services are very different. The current Globalstar feature on iPhones requires users to point their phone to the sky to find a satellite.
The Starlink option is designed to work automatically.
Both are designed to work in off-the-grid areas, such as hiking trails, that don’t have cell service and cannot be used in places where a mobile phone network is within reach.
Are astronomers still concerned about Starlink?
The news of the Apple and Starlink partnership comes with ongoing concerns from astronomers over the brightness of the satellites in the Starlink megaconstellation.
While SpaceX has taken steps to dim them, there is still apprehension.
NASA astronaut Don Petit snapped photos from the International Space Station, capturing the bright white flashes from time-lapse photography.
Pettit said the flashes are only visible from space and not directed at Earth, but called Starlink satellites a “miniature version of the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey.”
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According to astronomer Jonathan McDowell who tracks the constellation, there are nearly 7,000 Starlink satellites in orbit currently with 6,957 in operation.
[Jack Aylmer]
STARLINK IS REPORTEDLY PARTNERING WITH APPLE AND T-MOBILE TO BRING ITS SATELLITE INTERNET ACCESS TO I-PHONES.
ACCORDING TO BLOOMBERG THE COMPANIES HAVE SECRETLY BEEN TESTING OUT THE SERVICE… AND THE I-PHONE’S LATEST SOFTWARE UPDATE – RELEASED MONDAY – NOW SUPPORTS THE TECHNOLOGY.
T-MOBILE PARTNERED WITH ELON MUSK’S SPACE-X LAST YEAR … LAUNCHING A BETA PROGRAM FOR STARLINK CONNECTIVITY, BUT ONLY OFFERED THE OPTION ON SAMSUNG PHONES.
MUSK COMMENTED ON NEWS OF THE APPLE PARTNERSHIP SAYING ON X…
“MEDIUM RESOLUTION IMAGES, MUSIC AND AUDIO PODCASTS SHOULD WORK WITH THE CURRENT GENERATION STARLINK DIRECT-TO-PHONE CONSTELLATION.”
HE ALSO ADDED THE NEXT GENERATION STARLINK CONSTELLATION WILL DO “MEDIUM RESOLUTION” VIDEO.
BLOOMBERG REPORTS THE FEATURE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE ON MOST CURRENT I-PHONE MODELS AND ON APPLE’S ULTRA SMARTWATCH LATER THIS YEAR.
APPLE HASN’T COMMENTED ON THE REPORTED PARTNERSHIP.
HOWEVER, THIS ISN’T THE COMPANY’S FIRST RUN WITH SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY.
IT ALREADY PARTNERED WITH GLOBALSTAR IN 20-22 AND SINCE THEN THERE’S BEEN SPECULATION ABOUT WHETHER IT MIGHT EVENTUALLY SUPPORT COMPETING NETWORKS.
THE TWO SERVICES ARE VERY DIFFERENT THOUGH … WITH THE CURRENT GLOBALSTAR FEATURE ON I-PHONES REQUIRING USERS TO POINT THEIR PHONE TO THE SKY TO FIND A SATELLITE.
THE STARLINK OPTION IS DESIGNED TO WORK AUTOMATICALLY.
BOTH ARE DESIGNED TO WORK IN OFF-THE-GRID AREAS, SUCH AS HIKING TRAILS, THAT DON’T HAVE CELL SERVICE AND CANNOT BE USED IN PLACES WHERE A MOBILE-PHONE NETWORK IS WITHIN REACH.
THE NEWS OF THE APPLE AND STARLINK PARTNERSHIP COMES WITH ONGOING CONCERNS FROM ASTRONOMERS OVER THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE SATELLITES IN THE STARLINK MEGACONSTELLATION.
WHILE SPACE X HAS TAKEN STEPS TO DIM THEM, THERE’S STILL APPREHENSION.
NASA ASTRONAUT DON PETIT SNAPPED PHOTOS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CAPTURING THE BRIGHT WHITE FLASHES FROM TIMELAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY.
PETTIT SAYS THE FLASHES ARE ONLY VISIBLE FROM SPACE AND NOT DIRECTED AT EARTH, BUT CALLED STARLINK SATELLITES A “MINITURE VERSION OF THE MONOLITH FROM 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY.”
ACCORDING TO ASTRONOMER JONATHAN MCDOWELL WHO TRACKS THE CONSTELLATION – THERE ARE NEARLY 7-THOUSAND STARLINK SATELLITES IN ORBIT CURRENTLY WITH SIX THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN WORKING.
FOR SAN I’M JACK AYLMER.
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