01/06/2026
Recent report suggests that Apple’s upcoming C2 baseband chip, expected to debut in the iPhone 18 Pro, will introduce NR-NTN support. This capability is reportedly being positioned as a key advancement in Apple’s satellite strategy, enabling direct connectivity via low Earth orbit satellites. Another separate report this month, citing Bloomberg sources, indicates that this foundation could eventually extend satellite functionality beyond emergency use cases, including potential Apple Maps navigation support over satellite links.
At the center of the discussion is NR-NTN, or New Radio Non-Terrestrial Networks, a standard that integrates 5G connectivity principles into satellite communication. According to 9to5Mac reporting, this marks a shift away from current satellite features based largely on 3GPP Release 17, which are limited to emergency messaging and basic text functions. Counterpoint Research has previously noted that NR-NTN could allow satellites to operate as an additional radio access layer, similar to how devices seamlessly switch between LTE and 5G networks without user intervention.
If Apple implements this architecture, the practical impact could be significant for everyday connectivity behavior. Satellite access may become more automatic rather than manually triggered, while support could extend beyond messaging into lightweight app functions. This could enable persistent low bandwidth features such as location sharing and background notifications, with the longer term possibility of limited navigation data updates functioning even without cellular coverage, although these outcomes remain speculative rather than confirmed.
source: Counterpoint Research