Apple has been “secretly working” with SpaceX and the result is that the latest iOS software update means iPhones can access Starlink.

Bloomberg News first reported on Tuesday that Apple, SpaceX and T-Mobile had been secretively working to add support for the network.

In 2022, Apple became the first mainstream smartphone maker to add satellite connectivity to its mobile devices, debuting a new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature in the iPhone 14 lineup. Now, it’s taking its satellite features in a new — and arguably more useful — direction with support for the SpaceX Starlink network.

T-Mobile partnered with SpaceX last year and launched a beta program for Starlink connectivity last December. However, the company originally only offered the option on Samsung ph

Apple secretly partners with SpaceX and T-Mobile to integrate Starlink satellite support into iPhones with iOS 18.3.

Elon Musk confirms Apple quietly adds Starlink to iPhones in iOS 18.3: medium res images, music, audio podcasts should work fine, next-gen will be faster.

However, the Bloomberg report states that a select number of iPhone users have been able to enable the Starlink beta through T-Mobile. While we don't know which models will be compatible as of yet, T-Mobile told Bloomberg that the full release will support the vast majority of iPhones.

As of iOS 18.3, T-Mobile subscribers with a compatible iPhone and Starlink beta access are able to connect to Starlink satellites, reports

Starlink support appears to be a secret iOS 18.3 feature for iPhones, some of which now support satellite communication services from SpaceX — but only for users invited to join public beta testing of the service on US carrier T-Mobile. This supplements Apple’s existing satellite services supplier, Globalstar.