iOS 18's Satellite Messaging Could Be a Literal Life Saver

Texting by satellite is Apple's new secret weapon. [View in web browser]( [CNET logo]( Insider Jun 13, 2024 Satellite texting is the future Every mobile carrier boasts that its service is able to cover XX percent of the population. That’s great, but it’s not the same as covering XX of the United States. As many regional dwellers know, there’s a lot of areas that just don’t have coverage, sometimes from any provider at all. That’s why [iOS 18’s satellite messaging feature]( in particular is so promising. Being able to message over satellite not only conserves battery compared to calls, but also allows people to be concise and timely, and this is crucial if a user is in trouble. For people like my father-in-law, who once worked for the parks service and still uses his satellite phone for safety, the ability to swap for a regular iPhone could help with convenience and help reduce cost. Ty Pendlebury Editor, CNET [I Saw Messages via Satellite in Action and It's iOS 18's Most Underrated Feature]( [If your iPhone already supports satellite connectivity, iOS 18 adds satellite texting.]( display: block; max-width: 116px; max-height: 15px; display: block; max-width: 69px; max-height: 15px; Insider Essentials [Extend the Utility of Your Old Apple Watch]( [Upgrading to a new Apple Watch doesn't make your old one obsolete, put it to good use.]( ['Brats': How to Watch New Brat Pack Documentary From Anywhere]( [Actor Andrew McCarthy opens the lid on his time in '80s Hollywood.]( [Samsung Galaxy Watch FE Offers Almost All Galaxy Watch 6 Features for Less Cash]( [Samsung now has a true budget smartwatch in its lineup.]( CNET Recommends [Show Dad Some Love and Grab This Apple iPad for Him at a Great Price]( [Apple's iPad is down to $329, making it a great last-minute gift for Father's Day.]( [CNET] You are receiving this email because you've signed up to receive newsletters and promotional content from [CNET.com](. To update your account, please visit our [Newsletter subscription center](. [Unsubscribe]( | [Terms of Use]( | [Privacy Policy]( CNET 235 Second Street San Francisco, CA 94105 U.S.A. [Instagram]( [Youtube]( [Tiktok]( [Facebook]( [X]( [Flipboard]( © 2024 CNET, a Red Ventures company. All rights reserved.