With Messages via Satellite, iOS 18 shows that Apple is going into space — and as more satellites are put in place, it will expand the capabilities of the services it provides.
Introduced at WWDC, Apple Intelligence gorged gargantuan quantities of media attention, but Apple’s plans for outers space are important, too. Available in the US with iOS 18 on iPhone 14 or later, Messages via satellite allows users to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tap backs over iMessage and SMS when a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is not available.
Satellite and iPhone chips
Apple is basically broadening the feature set it introduced when it launched SOS by Satellite (now available in multiple countries) in 2022 to include any kind of message. The system works in the same way: “Messages via satellite automatically prompts users to connect to their nearest satellite right from the Messages app to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tap backs over iMessage and SMS,” Apple explained. “Because iMessage was built to protect user privacy, iMessages sent via satellite are end-to-end encrypted.”