iOS 18.5 brings carrier-based satellite support to iPhone 13

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

iPhone 13 owners will now be able to take advantage of any satellite-based service offered by their carrier. This capability comes courtesy of iOS 18.5, which Apple released on Monday.

Thanks to the new support, any iPhone 13 (iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, or iPhone 13 Pro Max) can hop onto a carrier-provided satellite network. As such, owners will be able to send and receive text messages via the satellite service when conventional terrestrial network access is unavailable.

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For now, this feature covers only T-Mobile's Startlink service, which is currently in beta testing and free until July. As more carriers expand their satellite offerings, the iPhone 13 will be able to join the party. However, this doesn't mean that iPhone 13 owners will be able to use Apple's built-in Emergency SOS satellite service, which is still limited to the iPhone 14 and later models.

iOS 18.5 includes a few other noteworthy changes.

In March, iOS 18.2 added a few changes to the Mail app, much to the consternation of many users. Now with the new version of iOS, you can better manage those changes. With Category view turned on, the All Mail button is larger and easier to see and select. Plus, the option to show contact photos is accessible directly from the ellipsis menu at the top, helping you more quickly turn it on or off.

Ahead of Pride Month, Apple has added new Pride Harmony wallpaper for the iPhone (and iPad) and a new face for the Apple Watch. The latest wallpaper ties in with the new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band, which is available to order.

Parents who use Screen Time on their child's iPhone will now receive an alert when the passcode is used. Plus, you can now use your iPhone to purchase shows and movies in the Apple TV app on any supported third-party device.

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iOS 18.5 also includes the usual bug fixes and security updates, 31 in total. Fixed were flaws that affected such features as FaceTime, Call History, Notes, and iCloud document sharing. Beyond updating iOS, Apple also rolled out new OS versions for the iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, VisionPro, and the HomePod.

To update your iPhone or iPad, head to Settings, select General, and then tap Software Update. Allow the update to download and install. After your phone restarts, you'll be good to go.

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