One of the more interesting announcements from Apple’s ‘Far Out’ fall iPhone event was the addition of ‘Emergency SOS,’ a feature that enables iPhones to connect to satellites in case of an emergency.
Although Apple said it’s working with satellite service firm Globalstar to power the feature, some wondered what, if any, connection SpaceX and Starlink might have to Emergency SOS in the future, especially given the company’s recent partnership with U.S. carrier T-Mobile.
According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, it’s just been “promising conversations” so far.
“We’ve had some promising conversations with Apple about Starlink connectivity. iPhone team is obv super smart. For sure, closing link from space to phone will work best if phone software & hardware adapt to space-based signals vs Starlink purely emulating cell tower,” Musk wrote in a tweet.
We’ve had some promising conversations with Apple about Starlink connectivity. iPhone team is obv super smart.
For sure, closing link from space to phone will work best if phone software & hardware adapt to space-based signals vs Starlink purely emulating cell tower.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 8, 2022
To add some clarity, the Starlink x T-Mobile partnership leverages the carrier’s PCS spectrum (in the 1850-1990MHz range) to provide coverage for texting and voice calls. That’s likely what Musk means when he refers to “emulating cell tower.”
Per Reuters, Apple has dedicated $450 million USD (about $587 million CAD) from its advanced manufacturing fund toward satellite infrastructure to support the service. Emergency SOS will be available in the U.S. and Canada starting in November.
For all the latest Technology News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
