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.

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

T-Mobile is expanding its Starlink beta program. Now, some iPhone and Samsung Galaxy users can connect to SpaceX's satellites.

T-Mobile opened beta registration for Starlink in December but it was limited to Samsung phones, including the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and S24 phones with no mention of the iPhone. However, it did promise that Starlink would “support the vast majority of modern smartphones.”

The latest iOS 18.3 update enables the satellite texting feature offered by T-Mobile through Starlink for select iPhone users.

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.

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.

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

T-Mobile's cellular Starlink beta program was initially restricted to five Samsung phone models. But the carrier has quietly expanded it to select iPhones running iOS 18.3.

Following the release of iOS 18.3, some T-Mobile subscribers with a compatible iPhone are being offered beta access to connect to Starlink satellites.

Apple's iOS 18.3 update enables Starlink satellite connectivity on iPhones, expanding mobile phone coverage in remote areas through a partnership with SpaceX and T-Mobile.