iOS 18.5 Expands T-Mobile Starlink Satellite Support to iPhone 13 Series

iOS 18.5 Brings Carrier Satellite Connectivity to iPhone 13 Series Starting with the release of iOS 18.5, Apple is extending support for carrier-provided satellite connectivity to the iPhone 13 lineup, including the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. This update will enable these devices to access satellite features provided by carriers such as T-Mobile, which offers Starlink-powered satellite coverage. The service allows users to connect in areas without traditional cell service, provided they have a compatible carrier plan.

• Expansion of Support: While iPhone 14 and newer models already support this functionality since iOS 18.3, the update will now extend it to all iPhone 13 models.
• Limited Features: This update does not bring Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite to the iPhone 13 series, as that feature requires specialized hardware found only in iPhone 14 and later models.
• Carrier Services: Carrier-provided satellite services behave more like conventional cellular connections and require a participating plan to work. T-Mobile has partnered with SpaceX to offer Starlink-based internet connectivity in network dead zones, currently in beta until July.
• Universal Access: Any iPhone user can register to test the service before it goes live, and T-Mobile will sell the service to any iPhone user regardless of their carrier.