Claim : Apple is reportedly planning to integrate Starlink connectivity into the iPhone 18 Pro.
Conclusion : The claim is misleading. Discussions between Apple and SpaceX appear ongoing for enhanced satellite features but specifics on Starlink for the iPhone 18 Pro remain speculative. No evidence of a finalized iPhone 18 Pro deal exists and there is no confirmation either from Apple or SpaceX.
Rating : Misleading–
Recently, several social media users have claimed that Apple is planning to integrate Starlink connectivity into iPhone 18 Pro. Verified X user ‘MarsUniversityX’ made such a claim and wrote about ongoing talks between Apple and SpaceX for a potential 2026 release, citing ‘The Information’ publication as the source. The post gained more than 990,000 views and can be seen below –
JUST IN:— Apple is reportedly planning to integrate Starlink connectivity into the iPhone 18 Pro, currently in talks with SpaceX, with a potential release in 2026, per The Information pic.twitter.com/riFYfb0cKH
— Mars University (@MarsUniversityX) January 27, 2026
Other users have shared similar claim which can be seen here and here.
FACT CHECK
DigitEYE India decided to investigate this claim and found that it is misleading. Talks between Apple and SpaceX are reportedly still in progress around expanded satellite capabilities, but any claims about Starlink support on the iPhone 18 Pro remain far-fetched and not confirmed. There is no reliable information indicating a finalized agreement or verified evidence of such a deal.
We first conducted a web search with the phrase “Apple integrates Starlink connectivity” to learn more. As per a report by The Information, “Apple plans to make iPhones compatible with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, which works in remote areas that don’t have reliable terrestrial networks, Bloomberg reported.” However, the report does not explicitly name the iPhone 18 Pro and states that “the latest version of Apple’s iPhone softwar…supports Starlink’s technology.” View the screenshot of the report below –
Following this, we learned from a Mashable report that starting with iOS 18.3, Apple added T-Mobile’s support for “direct-to-cell” satellite service, which in turn uses SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. This allows iPhones to connect to Starlink for texting when out of cellular range, without needing an additional hardware.
However, as a Life Hacker report states, this feature is “restricted to T-Mobile customers” and is currently in beta, focusing on emergency texting and location sharing. The report explicitly mentions: “It seems Apple was working with SpaceX and T-Mobile to roll out Starlink support to iPhones as well—though none of this was announced from Apple as part of the update.” Therefore, this feature isn’t “direct”, which means iPhone hardware natively linking to Starlink satellites without T-mobile. View a section of the report below –
Even Forbes states: “But if the report is correct, then next year’s iPhone could see emergency services via satellite be provided by Starlink instead.” View this section of the report below –
As of now, there is no official confirmation either from Apple or SpaceX. The feature is speculative for the iPhone 18 Pro.
Thus, the claim is misleading.
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