iPhone 18 Pro to Support 5G Satellite Internet With Apple's C2 Modem [Report]

Apple's next custom modem may unlock something far more ambitious than improved 5G speeds. A new supply chain report claims the upcoming C2 baseband will support low Earth orbit satellite connectivity, with the feature expected to arrive alongside the iPhone 18 lineup later this year.



According to a post from leaker Fixed Focus Digital, 2026 could mark a turning point for satellite internet on smartphones. The leaker claims Apple's custom C2 modem will specifically support NR-NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) standards. This technology allows devices to connect directly to satellites for data transmission, moving beyond the emergency messaging and limited satellite features currently available on modern iPhones.


The move to in-house silicon has been a long time coming. We have been tracking reports that the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and Fold will all feature Apple's proprietary C2 baseband chip alongside the A20 Pro processor. While earlier reports focused on the modem's 5G performance and efficiency, the addition of NR-NTN support suggests Apple is looking to expand what satellite connectivity can actually do.

NR-NTN is a 3GPP standard that enables 5G connectivity over satellite links. Unlike today's implementations, which are mostly limited to emergency messaging when cellular service drops out, NR-NTN is designed to support broader data use. The report notes that Huawei is also working on similar technology, with public testing originally planned for late last year and updates expected in the coming months.

This development aligns with previous whispers about Apple's ambitions in the space. Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple is developing satellite-powered maps and photo messaging, features that would require the higher bandwidth provided by a more capable satellite data connection. If the C2 modem delivers on these capabilities, it would represent a meaningful step beyond the Qualcomm X-series modems currently used in the iPhone.

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