Since first introducing satellite features on the iPhone, Apple has allowed iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 owners to take advantage of these functionalities without paying anything extra. That free access was meant to end this coming November, but now, it appears Apple is extending the free satellite access for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users until 2026.
The news was shared as part of a press release detailing the new iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models, which Apple debuted during its “Awe Dropping” event on Tuesday, September 9. Satellite features like messaging and emergency calling have been available to iPhone users for a while now, with Apple Watch also taking advantage of satellite emergency SOS functionality.
Back in January of this year, we even saw SpaceX and Apple working together to bring more satellite support to iPhones in secret, with the feature starting to roll out to users with the release of iOS 18.3. This allowed users to be able to receive messages and more even without having to point their phone up at a satellite.
Satellite functionality is going further
Apple originally released satellite functionality to the iPhone 14 back in 2022. Back then, the company gave iPhone users two years of free access. That free satellite access was then extended in 2023 to give users until November 2025 before they had to potentially start paying. And with that deadline approaching, Apple has once more extended the free access period for both iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users.
This is likely because the company has slowly been evolving its satellite coverage — introducing satellite messaging — and now with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 slated to receive its own set of satellite-based functionality. By giving users more free access, it allows them to see exactly what the satellite-based services have to offer, to see if they’re worth paying for in the future.
There is one stipulation with this extended timeline, though, as Apple writes that anyone wanting to take advantage of the additional year will need to have “activated their device in a country that supports Apple’s satellite features prior to 12 a.m. PT on September 9, 2025.” Considering we’ve seen reports in the past of Apple’s iPhone satellite messaging saving lives during floods and other natural disasters, this extension could build a lot of additional goodwill for the iPhone maker.
