Apple is Expanding its Satellite Network with a $1.5 Billion Investment

Last month we covered Apple’s release of Messages via satellite in iOS 18, joining Emergency SOS via satellite and Roadside Assistance via satellite. If you’re looking for another reason to upgrade to a newer model iPhone, consider these life-saving features as part of your decision.

Satellite services are only available on the iPhone 14 and later models. This week, Apple made its intentions clear: it plans to expand capacity for existing services, bring them to additional regions, and likely add new features to its satellite services.

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In 2022, Apple invested $450 million in satellite service provider Globalstar to support the satellite infrastructure that enabled the launch of Emergency SOS via satellite. In 2023, Apple loaned Globalstar $252 million to add additional satellites. Today, Apple announced another $1.5 billion investment in the company. Apple will prepay $1.1 billion to enhance Globalstar’s satellite infrastructure and acquire a 20% stake in the company for another $400 million.

In a 2022 press release, Apple provided some background about how Globalstar’s satellite network operates to bring these features to Apple users:

When an iPhone user makes an Emergency SOS via satellite request, the message is received by one of Globalstar’s 24 satellites in low-earth orbit traveling at speeds of approximately 16,000 mph. The satellite then sends the message down to custom ground stations located at key points all over the world. Once received by a ground station, the message is routed to emergency services that can dispatch help, or a relay center with Apple-trained emergency specialists if local emergency services cannot receive text messages.

In 2022, Globalstar added new ground stations that communicate with the satellites via special antennas in Nevada and Hawaii, adding to existing stations in Texas, Alaska, Florida, and Puerto Rico. These antennas were also designed and manufactured specifically for Apple. The fresh funds from Apple will allow Globalstar to maintain existing ground stations, add more, and to launch additional satellites.

Remember, Apple’s satellite features only work when there’s no cellular or Wi-Fi connection. However, if you have an iPhone 14 or newer, you can demo how the feature works so you’re prepared for when you’re off the grid, whether you anticipate it or not.

Here’s how to access the demo for Emergency SOS via satellite or Messages via satellite in iOS 18:

For a demo of Emergency SOS via satellite,

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Choose Emergency SOS.
3. Scroll down and select Try Demo from the bottom of the screen under “Emergency SOS via Satellite.”

Alternatively, you can try a demo of the entire set of Satellite connectivity features from the Control Center:

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.
2. Press and hold on the Connectivity Panel — the one with controls for Airplane, Wi-Fi, and AirDrop.
3. Choose Satellite.
4. Select Try Demo and follow the instructions on the next screen.

For the demo to work, you’ll need to be outside with a clear view of the sky, in open terrain, and in a region that supports the feature.

Messages via satellite is available in the US and Canada. Roadside Assistance via satellite is available in the US and UK. Emergency SOS via satellite is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the US.