A little more than three months ago, MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered references to an unreleased “Weather via satellite” feature in the code for the first iOS 26 developer beta. However, just one day before iOS 26 is set to be widely released, the feature has yet to be released or even announced by Apple.
The references have not been removed from the code, as of the iOS 26 Release Candidate, so it is possible that Apple will introduce the feature eventually. Perhaps the feature will be added in a follow-up update, such as iOS 26.1 or iOS 26.2.
The feature would let you view the forecast and other weather information in the Weather app, in supported areas without Wi-Fi and cellular range. Apple’s other satellite features include Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via satellite, Find My via satellite, and Roadside Assistance via satellite, with availability varying by country.
Apple has yet to charge a fee for any of its satellite features. Last week, the company announced it is providing existing iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users with an additional year of free access to the entire suite of satellite features on those devices.
Popular Stories
AirPods Live Translation Blocked for EU Users With EU Apple Accounts
Apple’s new Live Translation feature for AirPods will be off-limits to millions of European users when it arrives next week, with strict EU regulations likely holding back its rollout. Apple says on its feature availability webpage that “Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods” won’t be available if both the user is physically in the EU and their Apple Account region is in the EU….
iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Models Are eSIM-Only in These Countries
Apple continues to phase out the physical SIM card tray on iPhones, with the latest models relying solely on eSIM technology in more countries. The new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max support eSIMs only in these countries and regions, according to Apple: Bahrain Canada Guam Japan Kuwait Mexico Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Un…
Didn’t Pre-Order a New iPhone Yet? Here’s How Long the Wait is Now
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air pre-orders began at 5 a.m. Pacific Time in the U.S. and many other countries today. If you have yet to place a pre-order, you might face a longer wait now, depending on your desired configuration. As of shortly after 6 a.m. Pacific Time today, nearly all iPhone 17 Pro Max configurations on Apple’s online store in the U.S. are facing …
iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro: Release Date and Pre-Orders
Apple held its annual iPhone event on Tuesday, September 9, to unveil the iPhone 17, ultra-thin iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. All of the new iPhone models will be available to pre-order starting Friday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time / 8 a.m. Eastern Time in the U.S. and dozens of other countries, according to Apple. The release date for the devices is one week…
Apple’s New N1 Chip in iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Has a Wi-Fi 7 Limitation
The latest iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air models are equipped with Apple’s all-new N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. However, the chip has a Wi-Fi 7 bandwidth limitation. According to FCC documents reviewed by MacRumors, the N1 chip in all of the new iPhone models supports up to 160 MHz channel bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7, short of the…
Skipping the iPhone 17 Pro? Here’s What’s Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. If you are skipping the iPhone 17 Pro and want to know about what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro models, we have recapped a few of the key rumors below. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a…
iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Now Facing Extended Delivery Estimates
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air pre-orders began on Friday in the U.S. and many other countries. iPhone 17 Pro Max delivery estimates quickly slipped beyond the Friday, September 19 launch day for those who had yet to place an order, and now the rest of the new models have started to follow suit. As of shortly after 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time today, select iPhone 17, …
The Camera Plateau: What’s New With the iPhone 17 Pro Cameras
With the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, Apple introduced a new design for the rear of the device. Instead of a camera bump, we now have a camera plateau that spans almost the entire back of the iPhone. The camera plateau houses an upgraded camera system that includes a revamped Telephoto lens. All three of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max cameras are 48 megapixels, and there are five zoom…
