According to a recent report, the iPhone 13 will be equipped with low earth orbit (LEO), satellite communication connectivity that allows users to send and receive messages from faraway areas.
Mark Gurman, in his "Power On" newsletter, claimed that satellite communications would be available, but only for handsets from "selected markets". Gurman claims that the new communication method will be used in emergencies and disasters, such as plane crashes, according to iMore.
Recent speculations about satellite communication connectivity for the iPhone 13 series were denied by some mobile analysts and communication specialists.
The custom chip for iPhone 13 that is supposed to connect with satellites wasn't able to connect.
Sascha Segan from PCMag says that although the new Qualcomm chip was developed in partnership with satellite company Globalstar it does not guarantee that the next iPhone can communicate with satellites. The chip will be capable of using satellite bands previously allocated to satellite service.
Robert Graham, a cybersecurity expert, also noted that the iPhone 13 models will use the downlink satellite communications channel, which occupies the 2.4835-2.4950 GHz band. It wouldn't support phone-to-satellite communications which are approved for terrestrial use.
Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple analyst, stated earlier that the new lineup will include hardware that can connect to LEO satellites. This could enable iPhone 13 users to send and receive messages, as well as make calls, without the need of a 4G/5G cellular connection.