Did you know Apple Secures New Patent That Will Enable Stronger Satellite Communications for iPhones

 

iPhone maker Apple's latest patent hints at the company's ambitions for better connectivity.

The patent was issued on Wednesday that will focus on overcoming the hurdles that are linked to satellite communications. For those who might not be aware, smartphones do struggle at times with connectivity. This happens when the orbiting satellites stay in one place but then suddenly fall out of view.

The patent in discussion has to do with a handover procedure that makes sure one communication beam transitions smoothly to another from a different satellite. Therefore, every satellite works as a transparent relaying node. In this manner, different groups of devices continue to stay connected, Apple shared in its latest public filing.

The handover procedure will be crucial to ensure voice calls get enabled and internet browsing is done through the firm’s new satellite services technology. This is something that we’ve seen Apple discuss more about in the past.

Remember, the Cupertino firm first rolled out satellite tech in 2022 after unveiling the SOS Emergency feature. This gave users a chance to text first responders including emergency services in cases where connections were poor or non-existent. Then in 2024, the feature got an upgrade by enabling this technology through its iMessage feature.

Apple did share recently how such messages do take longer to send if satellite technology is used. In an ideal scenario, where you have direct views of the sky or the horizon, a simple text might take just 30 seconds.

This is why the iPhone maker is so keen on better satellite features which also explains the massive $1 billion investment it made into Globalstar which is a leader in providing satellite communications. This funding would be used for delivering more cellphone satellite services to the company and also to give rise to another satellite constellation.

Details related to this next-generation constellation are not a lot but we can see how Apple’s ambitions and plans are coming into play with different satellites at various altitudes. It might also assist the company in giving rise to iPhone chips that link directly to the satellite network.

Now the company is certainly not the only one with this initiative. T-Mobile is also launching an initiative to roll out messages via satellite in America through the SpaceX cellular system. Both AT&T and Verizon will similarly collaborate with AST SpaceMobile to provide satellite connections to users’ devices.