https://www.geeknetic.es/Noticia/36499/El-iPhone-dejara-de-ser-inutil-sin-cobertura-Apple-prepara-la-gran-mejora-de-sus-funciones-satelitales.html

The iPhone’s satellite features, which until now have mainly focused on emergencies, are about to become much more useful on a daily basis. According to a recent report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is preparing a significant expansion of this technology so that the iPhone is a functional tool even in areas without mobile or WiFi coverage.

The main novelty that could be on the way is a Developer API. This, for the first time, would allow third-party app makers to integrate satellite connectivity into their own services. The potential of this opening is considerable, opening the door to new uses beyond Apple’s native tools. On the other hand, it is true that this is something typical of the company, which usually makes the different system tools available to developers. Without going any further, this is what happens with Apple Intelligence’s local AI models.

This integration could transform the user experience in remote areas. For example, hikers could use advanced navigation applicationssimilar to paid services like Garmin InReach, to find your way on offline trails. It could also benefit professionals, such as delivery drivers in areas with poor coverage.

Goodbye to the pose of pointing to the sky

Currently, Emergency SOS functions or satellite roadside assistance are limited and sometimes impractical. Users must often hold iPhone up and point it directly to the sky to establish the connection, a gesture that the report describes as uncomfortable. Furthermore, data transfer is restricted to basic texts.

Gurman’s report suggests that future improvements will eliminate these drawbacks. New features would include the ability to send photos via satellitenot just text, and the possibility that Apple Maps, which could soon be ad-supported, keeps active navigation information in dead zones. All this, predictably, without the need to position the phone in any special way.

As Gizmodo points out, Apple’s strategy, which has an internal team and an alliance with the provider Globalstar, differs from competitors such as T-Mobile and Starlink, which already charge monthly fees. Apple has continued extending the free period of its satellite service, with the last extension announced in September, adding one more year of free service.

It seems that this extension policy indicates that Apple only plans to charge for these features when they are fully polished and offer clear added value. Opening up to developers and improving usability seem to be the key steps for this technology to stop being just a safety net and become a central feature of the iPhone.