Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Earlier this month, T-Mobile started testing messaging via Starlink satellites with select Samsung users.
- The latest iOS 18.3 update brings the satellite texting feature to eligible iPhone users on T-Mobile.
- Interested users can sign up for the beta on T-Mobile’s website.
In 2022, Apple partnered with Globalstar to enable its Emergency SOS via satellite tool on the iPhone 14 and newer models. With iOS 18, the firm expanded satellite texting beyond emergency services, letting iPhone users reach their friends and family when off the grid. To give users more options, iOS 18.3 introduces support for T-Mobile’s own version of the feature, which relies on SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.
A couple of weeks ago, T-Mobile started rolling out satellite messaging support to those using the latest Samsung phones. According to Bloomberg, the carrier has been working with Apple and SpaceX to implement the perk on iPhones, and the recently released iOS 18.3 update finally activates it. While T-Mobile’s satellite connectivity feature is initially limited to texting, a future update could allow iPhone users to make phone calls and access the web using Starlink’s service.
The most notable difference between the Globalstar and Starlink satellite connectivity tools is that the latter doesn’t require you to point your iPhone to the sky in a specific direction. Eligible users can receive texts in areas lacking network coverage without taking their phones out of their pockets. Unlike the former, though, the feature only works in the US.
To enable satellite texting on your iPhone, you must sign up for the beta on T-Mobile’s website. Once the carrier rolls out the feature to your account, you’ll find new options to manage it in the Settings app on iOS 18.3. Although the exact timing remains unclear, T-Mobile aims to launch the perk to all users in 2025.