Key Takeaways
1. Apple Watches can now connect to the Starlink network for messaging in remote areas, thanks to partnerships with Rogers and KDDI.
2. The Apple Watch Ultra 3, Watch 11 Series, and Watch SE 3 can utilize Starlink messaging, with Rogers offering a free beta version for Apple Watch 11 users.
3. KDDI in Japan provides a paid service for Starlink messaging, allowing users to send texts, share locations, and receive emergency alerts.
4. Apple plans to enhance satellite messaging capabilities for iPhones, including image sharing and access for third-party apps, alongside Apple Maps for navigation in areas without cellular coverage.
5. Future updates may allow direct satellite connectivity for iPhones and Android devices without needing a Starlink Mini dish, depending on the launch of Starlink’s V3 satellites in 2026.
While Apple has put money into Globalstar as the satellite service for its iPhones, the new Watch series can now link up with the larger Starlink network from Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Starlink Support for Apple Watches
Both Rogers in Canada and KDDI in Japan have revealed that the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the Watch 11 Series, and the Watch SE 3 can now utilize Starlink messaging even in remote areas. All Apple Watch models from 2025 that have cellular capabilities can benefit from the Starlink services provided by these companies. Rogers is offering its Starlink Cellular add-on in a beta version for free, allowing Apple Watch 11 users to send messages from their watches in places where there is no cellular coverage, thanks to Starlink satellites.
Texting Options in Japan
KDDI in Japan also supports Starlink messaging from the Apple Watch; however, this feature is a paid service, similar to what T-Mobile provides for many of its phones in the United States. KDDI notes, “In addition to sending and receiving text messages, Apple Watch can also share your location and receive emergency alert emails.”
The likely implication of this is that T-Mobile may also introduce the Starlink satellite feature for the Apple Watch in the US, similar to its offerings for iPhones. Apple, which first introduced emergency satellite services for iPhones back in 2022, is now reportedly seeking to broaden its service options, which its Globalstar partner may struggle to provide without a significant upgrade to its constellation or a partnership with a bigger entity like SpaceX.
Enhanced Messaging and Navigation
Apple is aiming to enhance media messaging to include images and allow third-party app developers access to its satellite connectivity. Apple Maps is also set to join the satellite service, enabling iPhone users to navigate in areas lacking cellular coverage, just like Google Maps does with T-Satellite Starlink service.
The iPhone 18 is expected to support the 5G NTN protocol for non-terrestrial connectivity, allowing its modem to maintain a connection by extending cell tower coverage with satellite signals when necessary. After SpaceX acquired Dish’s spectrum, Elon Musk has ambitious plans for Starlink to become a standalone carrier offering global 5G coverage via satellite, although at slower speeds than terrestrial networks, which are around 100 Mbps.
Future of Connectivity
With this setup, users won’t need the Starlink Mini dish while on the move and can connect directly to satellite broadband with their iPhones or Android devices. These plans depend on launching thousands of Starlink direct-to-cell V3 satellites, which SpaceX is set to start in 2026. Until then, limited Starlink connectivity is accessible for both the Apple Watch and iPhone through various carriers.
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