① Gurman revealed that Apple secretly collaborated with SpaceX and T-Mobile US to add support for the Starlink network in iOS 18.3.
② Musk confirmed this news, stating that medium-resolution images, music, and audio podcasts should already be able to use this generation of direct-connect satellite constellation for sending and receiving.
According to the latest revelation from well-known Technology journalist Mark Gurman on January 29, $Apple (AAPL.US)$ has been in secret collaboration with SpaceX and $T-Mobile US (TMUS.US)$ .
Gurman wrote that insiders revealed Apple has added support for the Starlink network in its latest iPhone software, iOS 18.3, providing an alternative for the company's internal Satellite Communications Services.
Reports indicate that 'USA Mobile' T-Mobile has recently begun allowing a small number of iPhone users to test early versions of the Starlink service, which is related to the release of iOS 18.3 this week, but Apple did not mention this in the update notes.
Gurman stated that the first users received text messages from T-Mobile saying, 'You have joined the T-Mobile Starlink beta. You can now send text messages via Satellite almost anywhere and stay connected. To experience greater coverage, please update to iOS 18.3.'
According to users, there will be a new toggle switch in iPhone cellular data settings to manage the Satellite function. Three hours after Gurman's article was published, Elon Musk confirmed this news on Social Media.
Musk wrote that medium-resolution images, music, and audio podcasts should already be able to be sent and received using this generation of direct-connect Satellite constellation. Musk added that the next generation of constellation will support medium-resolution video.
Analysis points out that Apple's decision to collaborate this time is surprising, since T-Mobile had previously only designated Starlink as a feature for some Samsung phones. Additionally, Apple had already provided$Globalstar (GSAT.US)$emergency service access features from Globalstar.
Affected by the latest news, Globalstar's stock price fell over 12% in Pre-Market Trading.
In fact, since Apple announced its collaboration with Globalstar in 2022, there has been speculation that iPhones may support Other networks in the future. The day after the announcement, Musk posted that SpaceX had "some promising conversations with Apple about connecting to Starlink."
Gurman also pointed out that Globalstar's service requires users to point their iPhones at the sky to find Satellites, while Starlink is designed for automatic running, allowing it to be used even if the phone is still in the customer's pocket.
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