Viral TikTok videos claim that Apple and T-Mobile are putting Starlink on your phone. But that's not what's happening.

Contrary to rumors being spread on TikTok and elsewhere, iOS 18.3 doesn’t install Elon Musk’s Starlink tech on your iPhone.

Owners of iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 phones can still access Emergency SOS and social texting through Apple's own satellite service, which uses Globalstar's network of satellites. It can also be used alongside a carrier's satellite services.

While the update does allow iPhone owners to integrate satellite networks from their provider, it doesn’t automatically enable Starlink on iPhones. On Apple forums, people flagged the fear as completely overblown.

In 2022, Apple became the first mainstream smartphone maker to add satellite connectivity to its mobile devices, debuting a new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature in the iPhone 14 lineup. Now, it’s taking its satellite features in a new — and arguably more useful — direction with support for the SpaceX Starlink network.

However, the Bloomberg report states that a select number of iPhone users have been able to enable the Starlink beta through T-Mobile. While we don't know which models will be compatible as of yet, T-Mobile told Bloomberg that the full release will support the vast majority of iPhones.

A few days ago it was claimed that Apple and SpaceX had been secretly working together, but the latest update doesn’t force Starlink onto your device.