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Last year, rumors emerged that the iPhone 13 might have a satellite connection. Although that iPhone did not get the feature, it is speculated that the upcoming iPhone 14 might have it for emergencies or to send text messages to emergency contacts when out of cellular network range.
A new report by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg according to The next Apple Watch could also feature this additional technology. In his "Power On" newsletter, the journalist writes that "the Apple Watch will also get this feature," although Gurman believes the timeframe for Apple could be this year or 2023.
Apple could introduce three new Apple Watch models this year
Whether on the iPhone or Apple Watch, the technology would be an alternative to Garmin inReach Explorer and SPOT, wearable satellite communicators with similar capabilities. Recently, there have been signs that Apple and its apparent satellite partner, Globalstar Inc., may be getting closer to launching such a feature. In February, Globalstar announced it had reached an agreement to purchase 17 new satellites to provide "continuous satellite services" for a "potential" and unnamed customer that has paid the company hundreds of millions of dollars.
With rumors suggesting that Apple will introduce three new Apple Watch models this year - the regular Series 8, a new SE model, and a brand new version for extreme sports - it would make sense for at least the regular model and the brand new version to get this feature. Last year, Gurman had already expressed doubts about the introduction of satellite communication with the iPhone 13, saying the hardware was not yet ready for the new phones. Even if this feature does launch this year, it will likely be limited to key markets. (Photo by hadrian / Bigstockphoto)
