4 ms·

A few years from now Apple will invent satellite messaging and we'll all fall in love with it.

deskamess 3y ago
Don't they already use it for emergency purposes on the Iphone 14 and 15? For free on the new phones but I think it is getting subscription based soon.
- indemnity 3y ago
  Yes https://support.apple.com/en-nz/105097 https://support.apple.com/en-nz/105097
sgt 3y ago
I believe Apple literally holds the patent on this. It's in use.
- gruez 3y ago
  I'm not sure what the patent would be on considering satphones with texting have existed long before iphones with satellite SOS showed up.
- nradov 3y ago
  Are you referring to US patent number 20220312182 or what? https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220312182A1/en?oq=20220312182 https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220312182A1/en?oq=2022...
renewiltord 3y ago
As usual, some generic manufacturer copies some iPhone feature and people say this stuff. Pretty amusing.
- lxgr 3y ago
  And as usual, some people believe Apple was the first to invent some feature, while it’s really been around for many years. Iridium has offered a global satellite phone service since 1998, and the first satellite-capable “regular” mobile phones without a huge external antenna started showing up in the early 2010s (Thuraya in EMEA and Asia, Terrestar in the US). Satellite mobile telephony is only literally rocket science these days.
  - johnwalkr 3y ago
    Ok, but having these emergency features on a regular phone, with free service (I think for two years when you buy a phone) is a game changer.
    - lxgr 3y ago
      I'm not denying that it's a very cool and useful feature! But it is, in the end, an almost prototypical Apple feature: Making something that's been technically possible, but mostly a niche feature, mass-market accessible. Again, very cool and I love having it on my phone, but I just wouldn't call it an Apple invention.
      - renewiltord 3y ago
        I wouldn’t call it an iridium invention either. The military has been using satellites to send messages before Iridium.
        lxgr 3y ago
        Definitely, but Iridium was the first constellation offering 100% global coverage using inter-satellite links, and as far as I know they also pioneered the "bulky cell phone" form factor (as opposed to briefcase- or backpack-sized terminals).
        renewiltord 3y ago
        Yeah, some incremental improvements on existing technology for sure. Definitely worth that credit.

Don't they already use it for emergency purposes on the Iphone 14 and 15? For free on the new phones but I think it is getting subscription based soon.

indemnity 3y ago
Yes https://support.apple.com/en-nz/105097 https://support.apple.com/en-nz/105097

sgt 3y ago

I believe Apple literally holds the patent on this. It's in use.

gruez 3y ago
I'm not sure what the patent would be on considering satphones with texting have existed long before iphones with satellite SOS showed up.
nradov 3y ago
Are you referring to US patent number 20220312182 or what? https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220312182A1/en?oq=20220312182 https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220312182A1/en?oq=2022...

renewiltord 3y ago

As usual, some generic manufacturer copies some iPhone feature and people say this stuff. Pretty amusing.

lxgr 3y ago
And as usual, some people believe Apple was the first to invent some feature, while it’s really been around for many years. Iridium has offered a global satellite phone service since 1998, and the first satellite-capable “regular” mobile phones without a huge external antenna started showing up in the early 2010s (Thuraya in EMEA and Asia, Terrestar in the US). Satellite mobile telephony is only literally rocket science these days.
- johnwalkr 3y ago
  Ok, but having these emergency features on a regular phone, with free service (I think for two years when you buy a phone) is a game changer.
  - lxgr 3y ago
    I'm not denying that it's a very cool and useful feature! But it is, in the end, an almost prototypical Apple feature: Making something that's been technically possible, but mostly a niche feature, mass-market accessible. Again, very cool and I love having it on my phone, but I just wouldn't call it an Apple invention.
    - renewiltord 3y ago
      I wouldn’t call it an iridium invention either. The military has been using satellites to send messages before Iridium.
      - lxgr 3y ago
        Definitely, but Iridium was the first constellation offering 100% global coverage using inter-satellite links, and as far as I know they also pioneered the "bulky cell phone" form factor (as opposed to briefcase- or backpack-sized terminals).
        renewiltord 3y ago
        Yeah, some incremental improvements on existing technology for sure. Definitely worth that credit.