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Goodeye

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 30, 2009
774
293
Curious if the Satellite iMessage and SMS is working on the beta?

I've seen a couple videos on it since it was announced but it was from tech bloggers and seemilnly while they were at WWDC so I think if anything those were controlled demos.
 

gwhizkids

macrumors G5
Jun 21, 2013
12,287
19,591
Curious if the Satellite iMessage and SMS is working on the beta?

I've seen a couple videos on it since it was announced but it was from tech bloggers and seemilnly while they were at WWDC so I think if anything those were controlled demos.
I can tell you from personal experience that parts of it, at least, are working. While in a non-cellular service area, I was able to track and link to a satellite. I was not, however, able to get a test message to go through to a family member. I’m not sure if that’s because the service isn‘t fully functioning or whether it’s because I didn’t give it enough time. But the UI for this is very intuitive. The hard part is holding your phone up and aimed at the satellite.
 

tmtech

macrumors newbie
Jun 5, 2017
2
1
I was able to send 2 sms messages via satellite today. I received a reply from one contact who also is on the beta but the reply from the other iOS 17 user didn’t come through until I was back in cell service.

iMessage via satellite wasn’t an option for me, even tho both recipients use iMessage.
 
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seoho_ss

macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2022
19
16
At present, iOS18 is still the first development beta version, so the satellite iMessage should not be enabled. Wait for the subsequent development beta version to be updated.
 

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,408
2,274
Los Angeles
I can tell you from personal experience that parts of it, at least, are working. While in a non-cellular service area, I was able to track and link to a satellite. I was not, however, able to get a test message to go through to a family member. I’m not sure if that’s because the service isn‘t fully functioning or whether it’s because I didn’t give it enough time. But the UI for this is very intuitive. The hard part is holding your phone up and aimed at the satellite.
Dude, you're still around? holy cow.
 

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,408
2,274
Los Angeles
Not quite sure how to take that. Looking at the “bios” under our respective avatars, you’ve actually got two months on me!
hehe, I kinda took an iOS vacation for a whille and dropped by again to see what was going on. I see Rogifan and you are still here :)
 

mikecwest

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2013
1,193
496
hehe, I kinda took an iOS vacation for a whille and dropped by again to see what was going on. I see Rogifan and you are still here :)
I often pass through the Angeles Forest Highway on my way to areas around Glendale...as I live in Palmdale. I rode with my wife, and her iPhone 14 Pro Max had an option in the control center to turn in satellite messaging. It said it sent a message to my niece, but not sure if she got it at that moment or if it actually sent later. I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max, so no soup for me...but the message I sent from my wifes phone to my phone, did inform me that it was sent via satellite...however I didn’t get it until I was near the substation almost on the way out to Pearblossom Highway, as you exit the mountains.
 
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Ansath

macrumors demi-god
Jun 9, 2018
4,689
5,138
England
Anyone in the UK got this working?

Can we just turn mobile data off and try it? Gonna put iOS 18 beta on my iPhone with public beta and wanna try it.
 

bertimus2002

macrumors regular
Sep 11, 2014
100
52
So, we’ve tested this successfully. I got a satellite message from my son while he was traveling. However, he is back in regular service and my iMessage thread with him on my end is stuck thinking he’s still in satellite mode. Meaning, no picture or video messaging and every message saying X is still connected to satellite even though he receives the message right away.

Saw on Reddit to try resetting network settings on his phone and mine. No luck. Also tried deleting my iMessage thread with him, also no luck.

On his phone it appears to work as intended and now back as regular iMessage. But me to him, no dice.

Anyone else run into this?
 
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