By partnering with satellite telecommunications company Globalstar, Apple has developed a new feature for the iPhone 14 named ‘Emergency SOS via satellite’.

This feature enables users to connect with emergency services when traditional connectivity options aren’t available and exclusively occupies 85% of Globalstar’s 24 LEO satellite network capacity. 

This is notable because it affordably places satellite phone technology in the hands of smartphone users, creating a new consumer service category in the process. It is also notable because Apple is leading what the WSJ describes as a ‘Smartphone Space Race’ to bring satellite connectivity services to everyday consumers.

By pioneering the commercialisation of smartphone satellite connectivity, Apple is also asserting its own visual codes to define this new category. Apple’s selection of a satellite icon to represent the service sets a visual precedent that makes it likely to be adopted by other devices and future competitors.

As the service becomes a key feature of future devices, it has the potential to become as ubiquitous as the wifi, aiplane and hotspot features that have become mainstays of the iPhone’s status bar.

In addition, the user experience that facilitates connectivity with satellites has the potential to shape future satellite connectivity experiences, laying the experiential groundwork for emerging categories of consumer satellite services.

‘Emergency SOS via satellite’ is a compelling first step into a new category of consumer experiences where smartphone users can directly access space-based services. 

With the commercialisation and growing consumer accessibility of space services, we can look forward to a wealth of new visual language codes and brand experiences to represent them. With the satellite icon now claimed, brands will be obliged to develop alternative visual symbols that resonate with consumers in this growing ecosystem of space services.