Apple is set to drop a game-changing feature for all iPhone 13 users.
iOS 18.5 is just around the corner, and while it’s not delivering the highly anticipated 'desktop mode' that's got everyone hyped for iOS 19, it’s still packed with some nifty stuff. As expected, the upcoming update will bring the usual security fixes and bug patches, but there’s more to it than that. Apps like Mail are being revamped and a new Pride Collection will be available to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.
But the real surprise was a feature nobody was expecting.
iPhone 13 users are getting satellite connectivity, a feature previously only available on the iPhone 14 and newer models.
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That said, while the software update itself is free, the satellite service might not be as it depends on your carrier. Fortunately, this new service is available for the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max, and it's important to note that it isn’t the same as the 'Emergency SOS via satellite' introduced with the iPhone 14.
Promising to be easier to use, Apple is adding what it describes as 'carrier-provided satellite features.' According to 9to5Mac, the service will work through your mobile carrier and require 'a participating plan to work,' rather than a standalone emergency tool. These services work when the carrier partners with a satellite company like Starlink.
"To use the feature, iPhone 13 users will need cellular service that offers a satellite connectivity option, and there are several carriers that have been rolling out the functionality," MacRumors explained.
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It won't mean your iPhone automatically runs Starlink - something previously hinted at in February - it simply means your phone will support satellite features offered by your preferred carrier.
T-Mobile has teamed up with SpaceX to deliver Starlink satellite-based internet connectivity to network dead zones across the US, meaning remote areas will receive a connection. CEO Elon Musk has hopes to expand the service across and outside of the US by offering free Starlink dishes to select customers. The Starlink Direct-to-Cell is in beta until July, but reportedly, any iPhone user with a carrier can register to test the service before it goes live, 9to5Mac wrote.
Differing from the initial version on iPhone 14, the best part about iOS 18.5 satellite connectivity is that you don’t need to point your iPhone at the sky to find a satellite. Users need only a plan with a network provider to be able to access satellite connectivity easily and readily.