Apple has released iOS 18.5, and one of the main innovations of the operating system is support for sending messages via satellite communications for the iPhone 13. Now owners of these models will be able to use the T-Mobile service on Starlink. For free, but only until July.
Image Source: Apple
After installing iOS 18.5 (build 22F76), iPhone 13 owners, including the mini, Pro, and Pro Max models, will be able to use T-Mobile’s satellite messaging service. The service, as The Verge notes, is powered by Starlink technology and is currently available for free testing in the US until the trial ends in July.
Apple clarifies that this is only about support for satellite features provided by carriers. As such, Apple’s own services, such as Emergency SOS via satellite, remain exclusive to iPhone 14 and later models.
In addition to support for satellite messaging, iOS 18.5 also includes other interesting new features. In particular, the system has been updated with a feature that notifies parents when their child uses a passcode to access the Screen Time feature. You can also now use the Buy on iPhone feature when purchasing content in the Apple TV app on third-party devices. In addition, a bug has been fixed due to which the Apple Vision Pro app could display a black screen.
Along with iOS 18.5, Apple also released updates for its other operating systems, including macOS Sequoia 15.5 and watchOS 11.5.