iPhone 18 Pro: Apple’s C2 modem is expected to bring 5G via satellite…
iPhone 18 Pro: Apple’s C2 modem is expected to bring 5G via satellite…
https://www.igorslab.de/en/iphone-18-pro-apples-c2-modem-5g-satellite-everyday-use/
Publish Date: 2026-05-27 00:00:00
Source Domain: www.igorslab.de
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Sometimes a smartphone innovation sounds like tomorrow’s technology until one realizes that it mainly addresses a very practical question: What happens when there is simply no network? This is exactly where the current rumor mill around the iPhone 18 Pro comes in. According to a report by CHIP, which cites 9to5Mac and earlier indications, Apple could use a new in-house C2 cellular modem in the iPhone 18 Pro that supports 5G connections via so-called Non-Terrestrial Networks. In short: satellites would no longer be only the last emergency option, but in the long term a regular part of mobile connectivity. It sounds significant, but it is by no means official yet. Apple has offered satellite features since the iPhone 14. At first, the focus was mainly on Emergency SOS; later, additional functions such as location sharing and messages via satellite were added. Officially, Apple still describes the current implementation as a heavily restricted service: users need an iPhone 14 or later, must be outside cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, and generally need a clear view of the sky. Supported are text messages, emojis, and Tapbacks, but not photos, videos, audio messages, or group chats.
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The step now being discussed would therefore be significantly larger. According to CHIP and 9to5Mac, the iPhone 18 Pro with Apple’s C2 modem is supposed to support 5G NR-NTN. NR-NTN stands for New Radio Non-Terrestrial Networks and describes, in the 3GPP context, the integration of non-terrestrial network components such as satellites or platforms into mobile networks. The key point is that this does not automatically mean “fast internet everywhere,” but initially a technical basis for bringing cellular and satellite connections closer together. So far, only Apple’s first in-house cellular chip, the C1, has been officially confirmed. It debuted in the iPhone 16e…
