© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Apple iPhone 14 Pro is seen at the Apple Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., September 16, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo
By Stephen Nellis
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (Reuters) – Apple Inc (NASDAQ:) iPhone 14 models have a Qualcomm (NASDAQ:) Inc chip that can talk to satellites, but add custom-designed Apple components used in the big new phone , according to an analysis of phones by iFixit and an Apple statement.
Apple released the iPhone 14 lineup on Friday. One of the main new features is the ability to connect to satellites to send emergency messages when there is no WiFi or mobile data connection.
Earlier this month, Apple said that iPhone 14 models have new hardware that could potentially become an emergency messaging service, which Apple is expected to pop up with a software update in November. Apple has not released Detailed information on satellite-specific hardware.
iFixit, a company based in San Luis Obispo, California that disassembles iPhones and other consumer electronics to gauge how easy it is to repair them, disassembled an iPhone 14 Pro Max model on Friday , revealing the Qualcomm X65 modem chip.
The Qualcomm chip provides 5G connectivity for cellular networks but is also capable of using the n53 band, the band used by Globalstar (NYSE:) satellites.
Globalstar earlier this month announced an agreement in which Apple will use up to 85% of Globalstar’s satellite network capacity to enable Apple’s new emergency messaging feature.
In a statement to Reuters on Saturday, Apple said there was additional proprietary hardware and software in the iPhone 14 for the new messaging feature.
“iPhone 14 includes custom radio-frequency components and new software entirely designed by Apple that together enable emergency SOS via satellite on the new iPhone 14 models,” Apple said in a statement. .
Qualcomm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
