Apple and SpaceX have partnered to integrate Starlink satellite connectivity into iPhones with the iOS 18.3 update. In collaboration with T-Mobile, the feature allows select users to send texts via satellite without needing to position their phones toward the sky. This provides an alternative to Apple’s existing Globalstar service for off-grid communication.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple had been working with SpaceX and T-Mobile to introduce this feature without prior public announcements. T-Mobile has begun notifying select users in the U.S. that they have been enrolled in a beta program, instructing them to update to iOS 18.3 to enable satellite texting. A new toggle in cellular settings allows users to manage the feature.
At this stage, the service supports only text messaging, but SpaceX and T-Mobile plan to expand it to voice calls and data in future updates. Elon Musk stated that medium-resolution images, music streaming, and podcasts should already work with the current Starlink direct-to-phone system, while future upgrades will enable video streaming.
The feature is currently available only for iPhone 14 models and newer in the U.S. Users with eligible devices who are part of the beta program can test the connectivity, though there is no confirmed timeline for a wider rollout.
