Yesterday, we reported how iPhone 13 could possibly have satellite connectivity to send phone calls and messages without cellular coverage. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors last week that Apple’s new iPhone 13 would be able to tap into signals of low-Earth Orbit satellites.
Bloomberg has now reported that the new feature will be limited to emergencies only. The iPhone 13 would only use those signals to text emergency services, emergency contacts, or report a crisis.
Kuo informed that Globalstar could be the satellite communication company collaborating with Apple on the service.
One feature, called Emergency Message via Satellite, will let you text emergency services and emergency contacts when you don’t have a cell signal by harnessing a satellite network. These messages will also have a length limit and be represented as a grey bubble instead of the regular green and blue used for SMS and iMessage. While sending this message to an emergency contact, it will pop up on their screen even if the Do Not Disturb mode is on to ensure that your message is seen.
Another feature will let users report emergencies. “The phone will ask what kind of emergency is happening, such as whether it involves a car, boat, plane or fire,” Bloomberg reports.
However, Bloomberg’s new report does throw cold water on Apple’s satellite offerings at its launch. An unidentified person told Bloomberg that while the iPhone could have the necessary hardware for satellite communications at launch, we shouldn’t expect to see it in action before next year.
A source tells Bloomberg that the new features probably won’t be ready before next year, discarding the idea that you might be able to use them as soon as you buy the next iPhone. Plus, the feature is still in flux and could be changed or discarded entirely before release.
To what length can a smartphone company go to stand out from their competitors? Of course, they wouldn’t reach out to the stars for their users, or will they?
We have a fun iPhone rumour! Apple is reportedly planning to launch a new iPhone 13 lineup next month, and the news reports suggest that the upcoming models will feature Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication connectivity.
According to MacRumors, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is claiming that iPhone 13 could have the ability to make satellite calls. The LEO connectivity allows you to make calls and send messages in areas without cellular coverage, all thanks to a customized Qualcomm X60 baseband chip.
LEO satellites are probably best known as the backbone of Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service, which relies on satellites in a lower orbit to beam internet down to customers and avoid some of the common pitfalls of satellite internet, including high latency and common blackouts.
Immarsat, a direct competitor to Starlink, announced a new constellation intended to blend with terrestrial 5G networks for a more global solution. iPhone recently witnessed its stock skyrocket when Qualcomm announced its upcoming X65 chip would support Globalstar’s Band n53 tech.
“Qualcomm’s support of Band n53 represents a significant milestone in our efforts to commercialize our spectrum in the US and all other countries where we have or expect to obtain terrestrial authority,” Kyle Pickens, vice president, strategy, at GlobalStar, said in an investor note at the time.
However, satellite connectivity wouldn’t be available in every country. Apple will also have to seek additional clearances from governments and meet standards, which may differ from one country to the next.
According to a survey, many iPhone users want the upcoming iPhone model to be named ‘iPhone 2021’ instead of ‘iPhone 13’. Around 26 per cent thought that the “iPhone 13” was the best name, and only 13 per cent said that they would like to see the devices called the “iPhone 12S”. The remaining wanted the name to be iPhone ‘2021’.
The iPhone 13 is expected to launch in the second half of 2021, and we can’t wait anymore. Like always, there are a number of rumours about what Apple has in store for us, which gives us an overall rough idea about what to expect from the upcoming iPhone 13.
Apple’s chief Tim Cook revealed that the iPhone 12 was the most sold and popular smartphone in the series so far, which unquestionably raises expectations for the iPhone 13. Last year’s iPhone 12 family brought 5G connectivity, a refreshed design and a new powerful chipset. We’ve heard from the rumours that iPhone 13 will feature a trimmed down notch design and an in-display fingerprint sensor as the company focuses on refining the design and improving the internals. Apart from these, Apple is supposed to bring more powerful cameras that capture sharper photos and a bigger battery.
There are possible chances that Apple could name the 2021 iPhone lineup either the iPhone 12s or iPhone 13, but till all these things befall to us officially, let’s call it iPhone 13 and here’s everything we’ve heard from all different types of sources about the forthcoming iPhone 13.
Design, Touch ID & Ports:
After a substantial number of changes to design and features in the iPhone 12, the iPhone 13 will likely remain nearly the same, but we can expect changes like a shrunken notch and Touch ID-based in-display fingerprint scanner in Apple’s next flagship phone. According to the Japanese site Mac Otakara, Apple will continue offering four iPhones in 2021 with the same size structure as the iPhone 12 family, but the thickness and weight could increase a little due to larger batteries.
We could see significant changes in the camera lens position, like lenses arranged diagonally instead of a vertical design, but the device will continue to offer the same Wide and Ultra-Wide lenses along with powerful updates. Leaked dimensions have also shown that iPhone 13’s rear camera system will be considerably larger.
The iPhone 13 models could feature a different matte finish on the outside and come in a matte black colour and stainless steel coating that reduces fingerprints marks.
Apple is working on a Touch ID-based in-display fingerprint scanner, which would be made available in addition to Face ID, a convenient option for iPhone users who struggle to unlock their iPhones with facial recognition while wearing masks. Also, there were reports that Apple would introduce a portless iPhone in 2021 with no external ports or buttons, but it looks like that’s not going to happen very soon, as future iPhones are expected to continue the conventional lightning ports.
Display:
Multiple rumours suggested that the iPhone 13 lineup could feature a 120 HZ display, but only on two of the four iPhone 13 models. The two models with 120 Hz are expected to be the Pro models, which are the ones that are claimed to adopt ProMotion technology.
The rumours also said that Samsung and LG would be the suppliers of LTPO OLED displays that will permit Apple to implement the 120Hz refresh rate in the 2021 iPhone models. Another major rumour in the pipeline is that the iPhone 13 screen might feature an Always-On display that will show a clock and battery charge level on a lock screen.
Chipset & Storage:
We can expect an A15 chip in the upcoming iPhone lineup, a successor to the very powerful A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12. The A15 chip will boost the overall performance and efficiency of the phone. On the storage front, we can expect the iPhone 13 to range from 64GB and 512GB, though some rumours suggested that Apple might skip the 64GB storage option in the iPhone 13 lineup and upgrade the maximum storage from 512 GB to 1 TB. Furthermore, the iPhone 13 is tipped to come with Wi-Fi 6E, an upgrade on the Wi-Fi 6 standard that will support even faster wireless speeds.
Price:
Current leaks do not provide any information about the iPhone 13 pricing, but it may come at a starting price of around Rs. 80,000, a slight increase compared to its predecessor. The second half of 2021 is yet to come, so expect many more leaks about the new iPhone until its launch.
