Apple Ships 72% of All Satellite-Connected Smartphones in 2025
Apple commands a massive lead in satellite-equipped phones, but the tech is spreading fast across the industry.
Apple accounted for a staggering 71.6% of all smartphones shipped with satellite connectivity in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. That's not a lead — that's near-total ownership of the category.
But the landscape is shifting. Premium devices from Samsung, Google, and Huawei are pushing satellite connectivity into the mainstream. Counterpoint projects that by 2030, nearly half — 46% — of all smartphones shipped globally will pack satellite connectivity.
The trajectory is clear. What started as a flagship differentiator for Apple's iPhone lineup is becoming table stakes for high-end handsets. The jump from niche feature to nearly half of global shipments in roughly five years signals one of the fastest hardware capability rollouts the smartphone industry has seen.
The satellite connectivity race is no longer Apple's alone to run.