If you have been following the rumors, then you have heard that the iPhone 13 will have satellite connectivity. This is because the company wants to have a backup to the cellular network in case of emergency. In the past, smartphones have been criticized for their limited cellular connectivity. In an emergency situation, the cellular network could be congested or unavailable. This can be a major inconvenience to users, especially to those who need to make emergency calls. The satellite connectivity will allow the smartphone to have a stable connection to a cellular network, even in areas where cellular service is unavailable.
Since the days of the first iPhones, Apple has always had a satellite-based emergency communication system called Find My iPhone, which allows you to locate an iPhone if it is lost or stolen, and even wipe its data remotely if necessary . This feature is particularly handy if you ever need to find it in the middle of nowhere, but the technology also has the potential to be used for more nefarious reasons. Earlier today, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea made a statement saying that the government of North Korea “will respond to an all-out war with an all-out war, by mobilizing all its national resources to respond to any aggression.” TL;DR version: the U.S. government may want to use Find My iPhone
The Apple iPhone 13 has a number of neat features, including a new wireless chip that allows it to connect to a number of satellites at a time, a new wireless chip that lets you connect to a cellular network even while traveling, and a new form of emergency connectivity.
The Apple iPhone 13 is said to include satellite connectivity, allowing it to make calls and send text messages without a cellular connection.
According to MacRumors, TF International Security Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in an investor’s letter that the iPhone 13 would include low earth orbit (LEO) satellite connection. He went on to say that the appropriate software may make advantage of the hardware to enable iPhone 13 users to make calls and send messages in places where cellular network coverage isn’t available.
The iPhone 13 will be outfitted with a unique Qualcomm X60 modem that enables satellite communications, according to Kuo. Qualcomm has collaborated with Globalstar to provide compatibility for the n53 band in its upcoming X65 baseband processor. According to the article, other manufacturers will use the X65 chip to operate with LEO connection.
Kuo explained the situation by saying that LEO connection will function if the user’s network provider is a Globalstar partner. That implies the, in order for the iPhone 13 to function, satellite connection may still be reliant on that cellular network.
Later, PCMag’s Sascha Segan took to Twitter to clarify how Kuo’s information might have been incorrect. He believes the concept was misinterpreted owing to a lack of knowledge of how Globalstar and its networks operate. He believes the additional band in the modem may be ground-based LTE rather than satellite-based LTE.
Qualcomm’s X65 modem supports the b53/n53 bands, which is a 2.4GHz zone controlled by Globalstar, according to Sascha. He provided a link and said that the business has been attempting to persuade private networks to utilize it. Despite the fact that the X60 does not support the mentioned bands, he believes the X60 in the iPhone 13 was modified to operate with b53/n53 (or X60 + b53/n53). “THIS DOES NOT IMPLY TALKING TO SATELLITES,” he wrote in large letters, but it’s a ground-based spectrum that Globalstar wants to improve LTE.
The x65 modem from Qualcomm supports b53/n53, while the x60 does not. The Qualcomm modem in iPhones, on the other hand, might be an x60-and-a-half. It may be an x60 + b53/n53, in other words. TALKING TO SATELLITES IS NOT INCLUDED. G’star, a ground-based band, aims to improve LTE.
30 August 2024 — Sascha Segan (@saschasegan)
Later, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple is working on enabling restricted satellite communications exclusively for emergencies. According to a source with firsthand information, users would be unable to make calls or send text messages. Instead, the functionality may only enable users to report serious accidents or events in regions where cellphone service is unavailable.
With this restricted functionality, the Bloomberg article referred to “future iPhones” rather than “iPhone 13.” It went on to say that “future iPhones” may include two emergency functions that operate with satellite networks.
We’ll find out what it is and how the unknown/rumored satellite function will operate in the forthcoming iPhone 13 very soon. Stay connected to us on social media and sign up for our newsletter for more information on upcoming events and happenings.
The new Apple iPhone 13 has only one unique feature compared to the iPhone 11: the ability to connect to a satellite network. The reason for this addition is simple: In an emergency, the satellite connection could help the smartphone locate a cell phone tower— which would then allow the phone to connect to a cellular network.. Read more about iphone 13 release date and let us know what you think.
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