Mehul Reuben DasSep 05, 2022 11:11:02 a.m. IST

Apple will launch the long-awaited iPhone 14 series this week. In most countries, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will be available immediately after launch. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Maxhowever, will be available on September 16, if some reports are to be believed.

In India, iPhones will certainly arrive a bit later than most of the world. However, the new iPhone 14 series, especially iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, will have to disable an important new feature.

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are said to have satellite connectivity feature, which allows users to connect directly to an airborne satellite and act as a satellite phone. Although Apple does not allow users to use the internet or make long and proper calls using this connectivity, it will allow users to send distress messages in the event of an emergency, when in a area that does not have teleconnectivity with local service providers.

For this feature to work, telecommunications service providers must partner with satellite communication providers, just like T-Mobile did with SpaceX.

In India, however, the law prohibits private consumers from owning and using a satellite phone, as it would be detrimental to national security. This is why the concept of satellite phones never really took off here. Only sanctioned search and rescue teams and defense personnel may also use satellite phones in certain situations. The use of this technology is heavily regulated. This is why you will find that survival gear that includes this technology is not readily available to normal consumers.

When Apple brings its iPhone 14 Pro series to India, they will have to turn off the satellite connectivity feature. Now, although the hardware that facilitates this feature may be present in all devices, the feature will be disabled either through the use of software, or a special switch, or both.

Also, even if someone manages to get their hands on a device that has the feature unlocked, they won’t be able to use it in India because the service providers won’t partner with the satellite communication providers.