Smart phones may soon offer an alternative internet channel, via satellite

01st September 2021
Smart phones may soon offer an alternative internet channel, via satellite
Internet via satellite on your cellphone? iPhone could be the first

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: