Apple has now confirmed that the next-gen iOS 18 indeed comes with a feature that will allow iPhone users to send text messages via satellite. This feature will be available on the iPhone 14 models and above. It’s going to be an extraordinary upgrade to the already existing Emergency SOS via satellite feature. It will come in the fall of 2024 as part of the iOS 18 update.
Well, the meaning here is that this feature is an extension of Emergency SOS via Satellite itself, which betters life by connecting a user to emergency services in the absence of cellular coverage. Now, following this new update, users will be able to send standard text messages when out-of-range of cellular and Wi-Fi. The system prompts a user to face a single satellite to connect to when sending the message with a text compression algorithm so that it goes faster. Messages are still end-to-end encrypted for privacy and safety.
This will be free for the first two years for all iPhone 14 users. Information about pricing beyond that has not yet been shared. It is a feature targeted at providing peace of mind to those people who journey to remote areas a great deal, perhaps adventurers, where traditional networks of communication don’t exist.
On top of satellite messaging, a range of other upgrades will be coming to the Messages app in iOS 18, including the addition of RCS, or Rich Communication Services, supporting enhanced functionality when messaging Android users. Emoji tapbacks, scheduled sending of messages, rich text formatting, and new special effects are among the updates.
These developments form a part of Apple’s larger investment in enhancing user experience and providing connectivity and safety in a number of situations. With such enhancements, satellite messaging becomes another huge technological step that takes the iPhone beyond traditional communication infrastructure, further stretching the limits and usability of the device.
