Featured Image Credit: Michael Gonzalez / Stringer / Getty
Apple's most recent iOS update has enabled a new 'epic' feature for many eligible iPhones, and it's all down to a new partnership with Elon Musk and his space satellite company Starlink.
iPhones practically sell themselves at this point with how popular and dominant they remain in the smartphone market, yet that doesn't mean Apple aren't still adding 'epic' new features for users to enjoy.
iOS 18 has been a somewhat controversial period for the iPhone, as its initial launch brought with it a number of unpopular changes that many still complain about.
However, it has slowly redeemed itself over time with some long-awaited returns and essential security updates, and the latest release might just be the cherry on the cake.
Advert
Satellite messaging was one of the biggest new features to arrive with iOS 18, and has remained an incredibly popular addition in the year since it was added to iPhones.
It allows eligible devices (iPhone 14 and above) to continue to message people and even contact emergency services in areas that have no cellular signal, which can be anything from a nice addition to keep you in the loop to something that'll genuinely save your life.
It isn't without its issues though, as you not only need to have a newer device as previously mentioned, but actually getting a stable connection to a satellite can prove tricky if you're not in a completely open area.
Apple's partnership with Globalstar for the satellites is definitely good enough to keep the impressive feature running, but a new partnership might open the doors to a future of improvements, as reported by Barchart.
The biggest new addition in the recently released iOS 18.5 update was the addition of satellite messaging for the iPhone 13 lineup.
This gave access to millions of new users, albeit with some restrictions like the inability to use the emergency SOS feature, and it was all powered with the help of Elon Musk.
If you've got a T-Mobile sim in the United States then you'll now be able to connect to Starlink satellites, which provide a stronger and more reliable connection than you previously could using Globalstar's options.
This is due to the significantly higher number of Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit, and experts have even claimed that the feature will work 'right from your pocket', as opposed to needing perfect conditions to take advantage of it previously.
As mentioned, it is very limited at the moment and only a subsection of iPhone users will be able to make use of this new partnership, but you wonder if Apple will be willing to forge something more concrete in the near future if it proves successful and popular.
