September is right around the corner and that just means another Apple event could be happening soon. During the event, the next expected device people are expecting the company to unveil is the iPhone 13.
While rumors of the new features of the upcoming iPhone 13 are already plentiful on the internet, one of the most interesting rumors is that the iPhone 13 could possibly double as a satellite phone.
According to MacRumors, the iPhone 13 may possibly feature low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication connectivity for sending messages or making calls without the need for 4G or 5G. LEO satellites are more commonly known to support Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service that offers low latency connections via these satellites.
The iPhone 13 will also reportedly carry a custom Qualcomm X60 baseband chip which is expected to be adopted by other smartphone brands by 2022.
The information reported comes from reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who also details a note to investors that supports the satellite communication connectivity feature.
Apple and Qualcomm have supposedly been working with LEO satellite communication service provider Globalstar in developing and making this feature available on the new device.
The satellite communication feature is also expected to be usable with no added costs to be imposed by carriers, as it is possible to partner with Globalstar to provide the service. Apple says that it is “optimistic” about the future of satellite communication on smartphones and finding that it could possibly be the next trend in terms of connectivity upgrades.
Apple’s support for LEO satellite communication is also expected to extend to other devices in the Apple ecosystem, including the company’s rumored mixed reality head-mounted display device, electric vehicle, and more.