Apple has great ambitions in the field of satellite communications

Apple has big ambitions for the iPhone 14 satellite communications system. According to a patent, the Cupertino giant plans to expand the available features beyond emergency calls.

iPhone 14 has a system Satellite emergency calls. This feature allows usersContact emergency services By connecting to a network of satellites. Since its publication, the option has already saved the lives of many people facing difficulties in the white areas. Initially reserved for North America, Satellite calls have reached several other countries, including Franceon December 13, 2022.

This feature is offered with the help of Globalstar, exclusively It is limited to emergency contacts. It is not possible to text a loved one or call a friend while connected to the Globalstar constellation. An iPhone 14 user, who is deprived of a mobile network or Wi-Fi, can only contact emergency services.

Read also: Between shortages and stagnation, iPhone 14 sales could collapse

What is the future of iPhone satellite communication?

In the future, Apple intends to go even further. According to a patent filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office, the Cupertino giant plans toExpand the features offered via satellite communication from their iPhone. The patent, which was recently approved by US authorities, describes a communications system, mainly via satellite, capable of transmitting multimedia data, audio data, Internet data, and the details of our colleagues from Patently Apple.

Obviously, this device will allow you to watch streaming videos, make voice calls and consult web pages. Concretely, it will be possibleUse satellites in the same way as a mobile operator’s network. The uses described in the Apple patent are consistent with a smartphone user’s current uses.

According to this patent, Apple plans to remove restrictions from its satellite communications system. The functionality will no longer be limited to emergency calls and SMS. As soon as the mobile or Wi-Fi network becomes uneven, it will be possible to switch to Globalstar satellites. De facto, iPhone users will be freed from white zones.

As always, there is no indication that Apple actually intends to exploit the technologies described in the patent in the near future. Note that it is not uncommon for an American giant to patent innovations without ever incorporating them into products, just in order to secure their inventions against competition.

450 million dollars to invest

To develop the iPhone 14 satellite communications system, Apple has He spent 450 million dollars. This investment enabled the brand to create the necessary infrastructure to realize its project. Apple privately injected some of the money into new antennas on the ground for its partner Globalstar. In this context, it is not surprising that Tim Cook’s company is aiming for this Provide additional services To differentiate themselves from the competition.

For the record, other smartphone manufacturers are also looking into the capabilities offered by satellites. It is for the samsung, the number 1 in telephony. The seoul giant is said to be working onn Satellite communication system for two years. This function, which is expected in the Galaxy S23, looks different from the option built into the iPhone 14. In fact, Samsung will not maintain a satellite connection for emergency calls. It will be possible to exchange messages and photos, as long as the files are not too large. In these circumstances, it is not surprising that Apple decided to improve its proposal to counteract its competition.

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Obviously apples