Apple was one of the pioneers in satellite connectivity back in 2022 when the company unveiled the emergency SOS feature on the iPhone 14. Now, according to a new leak, the iPhone 18 could elevate this feature to new heights.
Since its introduction in 2022, the emergency SOS feature has been doing its job, saving lives and allowing people to get help in remote areas without cellular coverage. The feature saved dozens of lost hikers, people stranded during snowstorms, and injured and dehydrated adventurers.
But the way emergency SOS works is pretty limited, allowing you to communicate with emergency services with simple messages, report if someone's injured, or get directions in the form of "turn left" or "turn right" texts.
According to a Weibo post, satellite internet is coming to the iPhone 18 | Image by Weibo
Now, according to a Weibo post (via AppleInsider) by Chinese leaker Fixed Focus Digital, Apple could be expanding on this feature on the iPhone 18. The post says that the C2 modem that the company is poised to use in its new flagship devices alongside the A20 silicon "will support NR-NTN" functionality (translated from Chinese).
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This abbreviation stands for New Radio Non-Terrestrial Networks and basically allows devices to get internet connectivity via low-orbit satellites. To put it simply, the iPhone 18 could have satellite 5G connectivity on board, allowing you to get on TikTok from any point in the world. Jokes aside, the feature is not new but could be a big deal on the next iPhone.
Satellite internet on phones is not new
The Huawei Mate 60 Pro can make voice calls via satellite in China | Image by Huawei
Huawei expanded the functionality with image support on the Pura 70 | Image by Huawei
In his Weibo post Fixed Focus talks about more and more smartphone manufacturers getting on the satellite internet train.
“Huawei stated that it conducted public testing at the end of last year, and progress in China is currently slower, but there will be good news this year, so keep an eye out,” reads the translated post.
“From this perspective, 2026 appears to be a starting point for satellite internet access for various mobile phone manufacturers,” Fixed Focus adds. Apparently, Apple might be one of those phone manufacturers.
The iPhone 18 satellite 5G is very plausible
Apple was one of the pioneers in satellite connectivity on smartphones | Image by Apple
Time to assess the credibility of this rumor. For starters, Fixed Focus' track record is pretty decent. The leaker correctly predicted the A19 Pro silicon in the iPhone Air (while most of the tech community expected A19 inside the ultra-thin phone) and also the early launch of the iPhone 17e, which, as it stands now, is happening.
Furthermore, The Information reported last October that Apple plans to support “5G networks that aren’t tethered to Earth’s surface," and the goal is to “give the iPhone full internet access over satellite.”
This rumor was further corroborated by Mark Gurman himself in a Bloomberg article, talking about the upcoming 5G NTN feature. So, we might be getting full-fledged 5G internet via satellite on the iPhone 18 series.
Satellite internet on the iPhone 18 series?
iPhone 18 satellite internet—a game changer or just a gimmick?
Satellite internet on phone may become quite a useful feature, probably not right away | Image by PixaBay
I think even if Apple launches this 5G satellite internet feature on the iPhone 18, it will take time before it's actually usable. Having hardware support on a phone is not enough to just start watching YouTube videos in the wild without a cellular network.
Satellite internet requires infrastructure and someone to provide the service, and even if those things are in place, expect very slow speeds in the first-gen service. We're talking messages, emails, and a couple of images, judging from what Huawei is doing at the moment.
Nevertheless, iPhone satellite internet could evolve with time to be actually useful beyond emergency situations. We're monitoring the situation and will be reporting any updates.
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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