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> I'm surprised there isn't much discussion here about the similar capability announced by SpaceX and T-Mobile Because the Starlink satellites in question don'

> I'm surprised there isn't much discussion here about the similar capability announced by SpaceX and T-Mobile Because the Starlink satellites in question don't exist yet, and it's Elon Musk making claims about existing handsets working -- he has a spotty record when it comes to making accurate announcements. I enthusiastically look forward to more capability in this space. But I doubt very much that Apple is introducing limitations unnecessarily. Claiming that existing cell phones will be able to reach up to a satellite, even in LEO, is such a large claim that it needs someone more trustworthy than Elon Musk to explain how it works.

modeless 4y ago
Distrusting a whole technology simply because you happened to hear about it first from Elon Musk is pretty silly IMO. Anyway, there's nothing impossible about it. AST Spacemobile has already demonstrated a satellite to ground link with regular cell phone hardware on one end (the space end, since it's easier to launch a phone than a giant phased array antenna, but they also did just launch a giant phased array and will demonstrate that in the next few weeks). The technology works. And T-Mobile obviously believes that too. You don't have to take Elon Musk's word for it. Apple isn't introducing unnecessary limitations. They launched the best thing that's possible today. But what I'm saying is that it's very likely that in just a few years it will be essentially obsolete.
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  Where did I say I distrusted anything based merely on Elon Musk saying it? I gave a few reasons why what he claimed should be taken with a huge grain of salt. His own history is a pretty strong recommendation in that regard. Comparing BlueWalker to Starlink v2 makes no sense, unless you think SpaceX is going to be putting that huge phased array on every v2 satellite they put in the sky? It's a different technology entirely. Now, maybe Elon was hinting at an impending acquisition? :). That would certainly be on character for him.
  - modeless 4y ago
    You clearly know very little about this. Why are you making statements as if you knew a lot? The Starlink satellites supporting this service will indeed have large phased arrays. Not as large as BlueWalker-3, because BlueWalker-3 is targeting general data service while Starlink is targeting a limited, text-message only service with much less bandwidth (though still a lot more than this Apple thing).
  - celsoazevedo 4y ago
    > unless you think SpaceX is going to be putting that huge phased array on every v2 satellite they put in the sky I'm working from memory here, but that's what they said during the presentation. 5x5 meters, I believe.
rodgerd 4y ago
> Because the Starlink satellites in question don't exist yet, and it's Elon Musk making claims about existing handsets working -- he has a spotty record when it comes to making accurate announcements. What do you mean? Teslas started self-driving across country to deliver themselves in 2017 as he promised, regular Mars flights began in 2020, and this year he hit two goals: shipping the colony equipment and bringing comedy back to Twitter!

modeless 4y ago

Distrusting a whole technology simply because you happened to hear about it first from Elon Musk is pretty silly IMO. Anyway, there's nothing impossible about it. AST Spacemobile has already demonstrated a satellite to ground link with regular cell phone hardware on one end (the space end, since it's easier to launch a phone than a giant phased array antenna, but they also did just launch a giant phased array and will demonstrate that in the next few weeks). The technology works. And T-Mobile obviously believes that too. You don't have to take Elon Musk's word for it. Apple isn't introducing unnecessary limitations. They launched the best thing that's possible today. But what I'm saying is that it's very likely that in just a few years it will be essentially obsolete.

rootusrootus 4y ago
Where did I say I distrusted anything based merely on Elon Musk saying it? I gave a few reasons why what he claimed should be taken with a huge grain of salt. His own history is a pretty strong recommendation in that regard. Comparing BlueWalker to Starlink v2 makes no sense, unless you think SpaceX is going to be putting that huge phased array on every v2 satellite they put in the sky? It's a different technology entirely. Now, maybe Elon was hinting at an impending acquisition? :). That would certainly be on character for him.
- modeless 4y ago
  You clearly know very little about this. Why are you making statements as if you knew a lot? The Starlink satellites supporting this service will indeed have large phased arrays. Not as large as BlueWalker-3, because BlueWalker-3 is targeting general data service while Starlink is targeting a limited, text-message only service with much less bandwidth (though still a lot more than this Apple thing).
- celsoazevedo 4y ago
  > unless you think SpaceX is going to be putting that huge phased array on every v2 satellite they put in the sky I'm working from memory here, but that's what they said during the presentation. 5x5 meters, I believe.

rodgerd 4y ago

> Because the Starlink satellites in question don't exist yet, and it's Elon Musk making claims about existing handsets working -- he has a spotty record when it comes to making accurate announcements. What do you mean? Teslas started self-driving across country to deliver themselves in 2017 as he promised, regular Mars flights began in 2020, and this year he hit two goals: shipping the colony equipment and bringing comedy back to Twitter!