Apple leaves everyone guessing until the last minute, but that isn’t stopping the masses from speculating about what Apple will announce at Wednesday’s iPhone 14 event.
Teased in invitations with a starry Apple logo against a night sky, the words “Far out” hint at what will come, but provide just enough to suggest a range of potential outcomes.
Some think it means Apple is gearing up to announce significant improvements to the camera, such as boosting the 3X telephoto lens that ships in the iPhone Pro up to the 10X or 40X offering by rivals like Samsung or Huawei, the Guardian reported.
But another theory, which fits nicely with the latest buzz in the wireless industry, has to do with satellite communications.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman earlier this year explained that the iPhone won’t be getting the ability to make calls over satellite networks, like T-Mobile and SpaceX’s Elon Musk (eventually) are planning to do. Rather, the feature is about reporting emergencies or sending short texts to emergency contacts when out of cellular service range.
There have been signs that Apple and Globalstar might be getting closer to launching such a feature, Gurman wrote, pointing to Globalstar’s announcement in February that it reached an agreement to buy 17 new satellites to help power satellite services for an unnamed customer, which is spending millions of dollars on the venture.
TMF Associates’ Tim Farrar told Fierce last month that by a process of elimination and the fact that Globalstar’s comments “match very closely with Apple’s contemplations for the iPhone,” it’s largely assumed that Apple will announce a satellite messaging service with Globalstar at its iPhone 14 launch.
Reports surfaced last fall that the iPhone 13 would include a satellite connectivity option, but that didn’t materialize, so it could be in the cards when Apple CEO Tim Cook & company take the stage in Cupertino, California, on Wednesday morning.
Wait, there’s more
Another area where Apple is expected to shine is eSIM, with the company likely to give it a bigger push this time around, according to Gurman. Apple has even considered removing the physical SIM card slot altogether beginning either this year or next year for some models, he reported.
T-Mobile kicked off eSIM support in a big way with its Easy Switch feature in the T-Mobile app last week. Consumers and businesses with unlocked eSIM-capable phones can switch from other providers to T-Mobile without having to visit a store or manually switch out a SIM card.
“Experimenting with eSIM now prepares carriers for an eSIM-only future, as it increasingly appears that device makers such as Apple will shift the industry in that direction,” said GlobalData’s Tammy Parker in a statement. “The eSIM concept is new to many US mobile users, so service providers need to take the initiative to educate their customers and potential customers about eSIM sooner rather than later.”
According to research published today by Amdocs, consumers are ready to say goodbye to plastic SIM cards and embrace next-generation eSIM technology to unlock a range of benefits.
OEMs like Apple and Samsung increasingly offer eSIM-enabled devices; more than 200 mobile network operators in over 70 countries already provide eSIM provisioning and management, according to Amdocs.
The report, based on research commissioned by Amdocs and conducted by Dynata, revealed that 81% of consumers are either actively in favor or open to the idea of an eSIM-only future for smartphones, compared to just 19% who aren’t ready.