The iPhone 13 would indeed offer satellite telephony, but for a specific reason according to Ming-Chi Kuo.
Source: NASA on UNSPLASH
Since the latest revelations of Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst specializing in questions around Apple and who predicts that the iPhone 13 would offer a Leo satellite connection ... Spirits heat up.Indeed, it seems unlikely that the iPhone 13 offers a connection by satellite in good conditions while keeping the form-factor that it has.
Specific equipment and expensive subscription
Satellite telephony requires suitable equipment, very often a device with a very large antenna, which is incompatible with the fine design of the iPhone.The exterior antenna is imposing, this seems necessary for the frequency bands used for a satellite connection in low terrestrial orbit.
Isatphone
As Igen points out, there are even accessories to transform a traditional smartphone.As you can see, it is always a relatively imposing device.
Thuraya Satsleeve+ sold around 500 euros
It also takes a dedicated package, the prices are very different from the classic mobile packages.If you want to connect to the Inmarsat network, for example, it costs around $ 1 per minute for a call to a mobile or 45 cents of dollars for an outgoing SMS.There is a subscription at 860 euros HT / year which allows you to obtain 60 minutes of voice communications per month.It therefore seems, in fact, delicate to imagine an iPhone 13 which offers a satellite connection as an alternative to a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.
Specific use on the iPhone 13
Bloomberg returned to Ming-Chi Kuo statements and provides more details on satellite communications.The iPhone 13 would not become a classic satellite phone due to its design.Apple would provide an emergency function to send SMS to the rescuers or to report accidents in areas without mobile coverage.
This service should operate via globalstar satellites, the first function is called "Satellite emergency message" and the third protocol will be integrated into the messaging application alongside Imessage and SMS in order to contact the rescuers likefirefighters or emergencies.
Gray bubbles instead of blue (iMessage) or green (SMS) would indicate communication via satellites.A second function is intended to report major disasters such as airplane accidents or shipwreck.A priori, SMS length would be limited, this message would mainly contain specific details on the accident such as the user's location and health data from the Health Application.
For the moment, it is always a rumor even if the latter comes from a sure source, we will have to wait for the school year conference ... which has not yet been dated or announced.
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