Apple is working on emergency satellite features for iPhones

According to Bloomberg, Apple is developing satellite capabilities for the iPhone, which will allow users to send texts in an emergency. In addition, iPhone users would be able to report wrecks and other emergencies in locations where cellular service is unavailable. At least two emergency functions will rely on satellite networks, and while satellite technology has been in development for years, these capabilities are unlikely to be available until 2021.

The first feature, Emergency Message via Satellite, will be integrated into the Messages app as a third communications protocol alongside SMS and iMessage. It will allow users to text emergency services and contacts using a satellite network when there is no signal available. Message bubbles will be grey rather than green or blue, and message length will be limited. Apple's texting-via-satellite programme, codenamed Stewie, will limit the length of texts. Even if the do-not-disturb setting is enabled, the SMS will automatically be sent to an emergency contact's phone. The message will be sent by putting "Emergency SOS" where a contact name would normally be entered.The service may soon be able to handle certain phone calls in addition to providing SMS.

The second function will allow users to use satellite networks to notify serious catastrophes such as airline crashes and fires. It will function similarly to a "911" call in the United States, and it will be able to offer information such as a user's location and medical ID, as well as alert emergency contacts. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed over the weekend that the iPhone 13 would include low-earth orbit satellite communication connectivity, allowing users to make calls and send messages even when 4G and 5G coverage is unavailable, but further analysis has revealed that this claim is false and unlikely.

According to Bloomberg, if Apple does add satellite connectivity, it will only be used in "crisis conditions" and will not be a viable alternative to cellular networks for broad messaging and calling. These satellite capabilities will not be available in every country, and their availability will be determined by local legislation and satellite positions. To help the iPhone connect to a satellite, one built-in feature will invite users to go outside and walk in a specific direction. Connections may not be instantaneous, and an iPhone's effective communication with a satellite could take up to a minute. Apple will continue to employ Qualcomm technology for the next few years in order to connect to satellites, which will necessitate a specific modem chip. It's unclear whether Apple will join forces with Globalstar, as Kuo has hinted. Bloomberg reports that Globalstar competitors Iridium Communications and Omnispace are not collaborating with Apple, but the storey does not rule out Globalstar.

Satellite capabilities are "unlikely to be ready before next year," however Apple's modem chips this year may "have the technology required for satellite communications” as well as SMS Share. It is possible that the functionality will be changed or scrapped before Apple releases it, as it has not yet been finalised. The company has explored launching their own satellites, but the emergency features that are planned will rely on current networks.