iOS 18.3 brings support for Starlink through T-Mobile, but it’s still in beta

iPhone 14 and newer has access to SOS via Satellite

Apple has been working with Starlink and T-Mobile in secret to get iPhones ready for expanded satellite connectivity, and the feature is now enabled with iOS 18.3 ahead of the full service launch.

When Apple initially launched SOS via Satellite in 2022 with iPhone 14, its only partner was Globalstar. Elon Musk shared that he had promising conversations about bringing Starlink into the mix, and two years later, it’s happening.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple has enabled Starlink connectivity with iOS 18.3. However, the Starlink service offered through T-Mobile is still in early access beta and won’t roll out in the US until later in 2025.

A notification for T-Mobile users was sent out to those selected for the early access beta. It included a reference to iOS 18.3, which enabled the feature.

“You’re in the T-Mobile Starlink beta. You can now stay connected with texting via satellite from virtually anywhere. To start experiencing coverage beyond, please update to iOS 18.3.”

A T-Mobile press release about the Starlink program states that the beta program is open and free for all T-Mobile postpaid voice customers with a compatible device. The open beta is expected to begin in early 2025.

“T-Mobile Starlink is the first major low-earth orbit constellation in the world paired with terrestrial cellular spectrum, making the phone in your pocket work in areas of the U.S. that have never, and probably never will, have ground based coverage,” said Mike Katz, President of Marketing, Strategy and Products, T-Mobile, in the press release. “It’s a truly groundbreaking engineering breakthrough and means that we are one step closer to helping T-Mobile customers have confidence that, no matter where they are, if they can see the sky, they will be covered by T-Mobile.”

All iPhone 14 and newer models support SOS via Satellite, and they should all be able to use the new Starlink feature. Rumors suggest that Apple is also working on satellite connectivity in the Apple Watch Ultra 3.