Apple is continuing to add support for carrier-based satellite services, with au customers in Japan and One NZ customers in New Zealand now able to use the satellite connectivity offered by those carriers on compatible iPhone models.
Both au and One NZ have partnered with SpaceX to provide their customers with Starlink Direct satellite service, joining T-Mobile in the U.S. in offering Starlink connectivity as an alternative to the satellite messaging features built into Apple’s ‌iPhone‌ 14 and later models. Japan and New Zealand both have large swathes of land where traditional cellular coverage is unavailable due to terrain limitations.
For au customers, Starlink Direct covers all of Japan, providing connectivity in remote areas where cellular towers are not available. au does not charge for the service, which allows users to send and receive text messages, get emergency earthquake alerts, and share their location with friends and family.
In New Zealand, One NZ customers can use Starlink Direct to send and receive texts anywhere in the country, with the functionality included in eligible mobile plans.
Starlink Direct is available when cellular signal is not, as long as there is a clear line of sight to the sky. While an open space not obstructed by buildings helps with connectivity, users do not need to hold their smartphone up to the sky to connect, which is a requirement for Apple’s built-in satellite service offered through its partnership with Globalstar.
Carrier-based satellite services are supported on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 models and later, and customers who have access to carrier satellite options can use those in addition to the satellite connectivity that is included in Apple’s modern iPhones.
(Thanks, Dhinak!)
Popular Stories
iOS 19 Leak Reveals Alleged New Design With Rounder App Icons, Floating Tab Bar, and More
YouTube channel Front Page Tech is back today with another video that provides a closer look at iOS 19’s alleged design changes. The video contains re-created renders of iOS 19, which are allegedly based on real footage of the software update, provided by sources within Apple. Overall, iOS 19 is expected to have a more glass-like, visionOS-inspired design, with added translucency for user…
iPhone 17 Pro’s New Rear Camera Bar ‘Same Color As Rest of Device’
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a redesigned rear camera panel that spans the width of the device, but it will be the same color as the iPhone itself, rather than being part of a two-tone design. That’s according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, the reporter says the iPhone 17 Pro won’t have a two-toned back, as some renders have…
Apple Planning ‘Bold’ New 20th Anniversary Design for 2027 iPhone Pro
Apple is preparing a “major shake-up” for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. iPhone X released in 2017 for 10th anniversary Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple plans to launch a foldable iPhone alongside a “bold” new iPhone Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass. Could this mean Apple plans to realize former…
Trump Believes Apple Could Manufacture iPhones in the U.S.
U.S. President Donald Trump “absolutely” believes that Apple could manufacture its iPhones and other devices in the United States, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said today during a media briefing. Leavitt was asked whether Trump thought that iPhone manufacturing is the kind of technology that could move to the U.S. “Absolutely, he believes we have the labor, we have the workforce, we have …
Is Now the Time to Upgrade Apple Devices Before Tariffs Lead to Price Increases?
If you have an older Apple device that you’ve been considering upgrading, you’re probably wondering how the newly announced tariffs might impact prices going forward, and whether it’s worth buying now before there’s a price hike. Given analyst and economist responses to the tariffs, market panic, and Trump’s stance on the current financial chaos, the answer is that making a purchase…
5 Biggest Changes Rumored for iPhone 17 Pro
Later this year, Apple will introduce the iPhone 17 series, which includes the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, two new high-end flagship devices that will be sold alongside the regular iPhone 17 and an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. If you have been holding out for the iPhone 17 Pro or its bigger sibling, here are five of the biggest changes, informed by the latest reports and…
Vision Pro 2 May Now Be in Production Ahead of Launch Later This Year
The second-generation Apple Vision Pro may now be in mass production ahead of its rumored launch later this year, Chinese website IT Home today claims. Reporting on information from an unknown source, the website says that key components of the new Vision Pro, including panels, housings, and circuitry, have moved into mass production ahead of the product’s purported release later in 2025….
iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Offer Dual Video Recording Feature in Camera App
YouTube channel Front Page Tech on Monday shared renders of iOS 19’s alleged new design. The end of the video also revealed a new feature that is supposedly planned for the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year: dual video recording. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will allow users to record video with the front and rear cameras…
