A rumor by a reliable leaker suggested Apple is planning to bring Globalstar’s satellite connectivity to the iPhone 13, but evidence suggests otherwise.<\/b>
\nThe latest tech news Your sardonic source for consumer tech stories Human-centric AI news and analysis Driving the future of sustainable mobility No-nonsense stories about startup growth Inside money, markets, and Big Tech Help build the bank of the future Coding for Public Service Small country, big ideas A few days ago, the usually-accurate Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a research note asserting that the iPhone 13 would probably be able to make calls via satellite. This was a big deal for some users, as it meant you could theoretically make calls anywhere outdoors in the world. Unfortunately, evidence suggests Kuo may have gotten some of the details wrong this time. Kuo originally asserted that Apple is planning to use a customized Qualcomm X60 chip that would support the n53 band used by Globalstar, a satellite communications company. Seems pretty clear cut, right? As pointed out by several folks around Twitter, including PCMag\u2019s Sascha Segan, the problem is that specific band isn\u2019t used for satellite communications at all. It\u2019s one of Globalstar\u2018s plain old terrestrial bands, which Apple may simply be using for expanded LTE connectivity. Kuo appears to have made the satellite assertion simply based on the support for Globalstar\u2018s n53 band, but given Kuo\u2019s track record it\u2019s still possible that his conclusion was correct even if the analysis was flawed. It\u2019s also possible Apple is considering the satellite thing for future iPhones, and a partnership with Globalstar on n53 is just a first step. After all, Globalstar is a relatively unknown company among mainstream consumers, so it seems a little weird that Apple would commission a custom modem just to support a rare wireless band. Apple has also been rumored to be working on satellite communications as far back as 2019, so it wouldn\u2019t be surprising if this were something on the company\u2019s mind. Still, for now, you should take the satellite rumor with a big ol\u2019 grain of salt. Did you know we have a newsletter all about consumer tech? It\u2019s called Plugged In \u2013 and you can subscribe to it right here.<\/p>\n