According to Mark Gurman the future of those features is very much up in the air. They would require major upgrades to Globalstar’s network, which Apple relies on. But Globalstar is also deep in talks to be acquired by SpaceX. Still, if Apple can pull these off, it would be a boon to users when traditional 5G isn’t available.
Satellite-powered maps: The company is eyeing bringing satellite connectivity to Apple Maps, allowing users to navigate without cellular or Wi-Fi access.
Richer messaging capabilities: Apple is working on enhanced satellite messaging that supports photos in addition to basic text messages.
“Natural usage” improvements: One of the biggest limitations of Apple’s current system is the need for an unobstructed view of the sky. The company aims to let users stay connected while their iPhone is in a pocket, car or even indoors — eliminating the need to physically point the device toward the sky. This approach is known in the industry as “natural usage.”
