The next iPhone is said to be the first candidate to incorporate a a second data channel via satellite internet.
September 1, 2021: The next iteration of Apple's iPhone due out next month may include hardware that will allow it to offer analternative channel for Internet other than cellular 5G -- via satellite.This speculation was triggered yesterday by TFI International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who said the new iPhone unofficially called iPhone13, may incorporate a varfiant of Qualcomm's X60 baseband modem chip that can support communication via satellite.
There is a divergence of opinion whether Apple will opt for the internet service from the geostationary Globalstar system or go for the yet-to-come low earth orbit or LEO class of satellite network of which the Elon Musk-funded Starlink and the Bharti Airtel-funded OneWeb are best examples.
Blooomberg which broke the story said the satellite internet link on any iPhone would likely be only for emergencies. Here are links to some of the stories floating around this morning: