You Can Send Texts via Satellite in iOS 18 - MacRumors
Skip to Content

You Can Send Texts via Satellite in iOS 18

With iOS 18, Apple is expanding the Emergency SOS via satellite feature to introduce Messages via satellite, a feature that will let you send texts even when you don't have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection.

messages via satellite
Available on the iPhone 14 or later, you can send and receive iMessages or SMS messages using a satellite connection. The feature works with all iMessage features such as emoji and Tapbacks, plus with iMessage, conversations are end-to-end encrypted.

Messages via satellite will work on the iPhone 14 and later, aka the same devices that support Emergency SOS via satellite. Apple did not specify whether there will be a cost for Messages via satellite, but Emergency SOS via satellite is still free for all iPhone 14 users for a total of three years.

Apple has said it eventually plans to charge for satellite services, but no pricing has been unveiled. The iPhone 15 models also came with two free years of satellite access.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple's Next Era Begins September 1

Thursday May 7, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features

Saturday May 9, 2026 6:03 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
MacBook Pro Low Angle Wide Lens

macOS 27: Two More Changes Leaked Ahead of WWDC Next Month

Sunday May 10, 2026 9:45 am PDT by
macOS 27 will have a "slight redesign" compared to macOS Tahoe, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the design changes will help to improve the readability of macOS Tahoe's Liquid Glass interface:If you've used Tahoe, you're likely familiar with some of the quirks — particularly the transparency effects and shadows that...

Top Rated Comments

25 months ago
This was the single most exciting announcement at WWDC for me.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexandr Avatar
25 months ago
This is awesome! This will make me feel a lot better about hiking in serviceless places.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
25 months ago

This was a good surprise to hear from the event. I was considering getting a Garmin Sat device for camping and hiking, but I'll hold off until I hear more about this.
I have an iPhone 15 Pro and I just bought a Garmin Inreach Mini 2 last week. I purposely went somewhere to test it to see how it compared to the emergency SOS satellite on the iPhone. I found a really bad flaw in the Apple Satellite feature. Where I was, my iPhone said I had one bar of signal, but the signal was so weak, I was not able to make any calls or send any iMessages/SMS. I tried to send my location via satellite (to test the satellite without actually setting off an emergency) and the iPhone said that satellite was not available because I had cellular signal (even thought the cellular signal was too weak to use). The Garmin worked with no issue. Worth the money for me for the Garmin, but the Apple satellite is good to have as a back up solution, I would not rely on it. Had that been a real emergency I would have been screwed if not for the Garmin.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
25 months ago

Finally.. calling when?
Also isn’t t-mobile going to enable that for many more phones eventually as well?
That just isn't possible without support for satellite technology built into the phone itself.

Apples announcement is a game changer - I would guess Garmin stock just dropped as it instantly makes a lot of Garmin devices irrelevant.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Macusercom Avatar
25 months ago
Smart move: introduce a feature for free, make it even more useful and then charge for it. Satellite communication is very expensive so of course Apple won't just eat the cost.

I can even see then getting you make an emergency SMS and charge you afterwards
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
25 months ago

I’m sure there’s been situations this year where people haven’t been able to contact emergency services via their phones because they failed to pay their cellular phone bill. I don’t think there’s been any impact to those companies. :)
Calling emergency services works even without an active phone plan (at least in the US).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)