Apple’s satellite roadmap for iPhone 18 and Apple Watch

Apple is steadily expanding satellite capabilities across its devices and laying out a long-range plan that spans both iPhone and Apple Watch. According to Mark Gurman, the company has already charted where this technology is headed, but execution depends on a significant upgrade to Globalstar’s satellite network.

One of Apple’s most ambitious efforts is satellite-powered mapping. The idea is to let iPhone and Apple Watch owners use Apple Maps without cellular service, so they can navigate even where carriers offer no coverage. Apple is also building an API that would let third-party developers add satellite functionality to their apps on their own timetable, without waiting on Apple to implement each use case.

Another goal is to remove the need to physically aim a phone at the sky to make contact. Apple wants devices to automatically acquire satellites—even indoors or when the phone is in a pocket. If successful, that would make space-based connectivity feel less like a workaround and more like a seamless safety layer.

The iPhone 18 is expected to mark a major step forward with support for 5G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks). This approach lets carriers hook into satellites directly, broadening coverage and shrinking dead zones. In practice, it could bolster connection stability, improve call reliability, and strengthen emergency communications in remote areas or during crises.

Apple is also exploring sending photos over a satellite link, not just text messages. Satellite features first appeared with the iPhone 14 and have been advancing since, though there isn’t perfect alignment inside the company. Because satellite connectivity has traditionally been the domain of carriers, Apple’s deeper push into this territory is prompting internal debate.

While space-based features aren’t the flashiest updates for a mass audience, they’ve already changed the industry’s trajectory. Apple’s service has helped in critical situations and has been credited with saving lives. The company’s aim now is to make the technology more robust, widespread, and easy to use. That’s a win for consumers and for Apple—and it’s hard to imagine other manufacturers sitting out this shift for long.