Apple is continuing to add support for carrier-based satellite services, such as Starlink Direct, according to a news story posted earlier this month at the online MacRumors publication, with au customers in Japan and One NZ customers in New Zealand now able to use the satellite connectivity offered by those carriers on compatible iPhone models.
Both au and One NZ have partnered with SpaceX to provide their customers with Starlink Direct satellite service, joining T-Mobile in the U.S. in offering Starlink connectivity as an alternative to the satellite messaging features built into v and later models. Japan and New Zealand both have large swathes of land where traditional cellular coverage is unavailable due to terrain limitations.
For au customers, Starlink Direct covers all of Japan, providing connectivity in remote areas where cellular towers are not available. au does not charge for the service, which allows users to send and receive text messages, get emergency earthquake alerts, and share their location with friends and family. In New Zealand, One NZ customers can use Starlink Direct to send and receive texts anywhere in the country, with the functionality included in eligible mobile plans.
==> To read the entire MacRumors story, authored by Juli Clover, the Managing Editor at MacRumors, please access this direct infolink…