According to Bloomberg, Apple is planning to develop satellite technology that could allow Apple’s mobile devices to communicate without relying on other wireless carriers, such as Verizon, Telekom, China Mobile and Deutsche. Tim Cook, Apple CEO, said it is a high priority. A ‘top secret’ team is dedicated to the project, and made up of engineers from the aerospace and satellite design industries. Bloomberg sources are saying that Michael Trela and John Fenwick, both former Google satellite and aerospace engineers, are leading the team.
It is not surprising that Apple would explore this possibility. Always struggling with carriers, Apple is known for seeking end-to-end integration of all aspects of a product. And while Apple is known for this, they are not the only company seeking to launch satellites. Amazon plans to launch many in the future.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/12/report-apple-is-developing-satellites