Apple missed the opportunity to get ahead of Starlink.

Apple was slow to react to Starlink. Photo: Appleinsider .

Before Starlink launched, Apple had been quietly developing an ambitious satellite service. According to The Information , in 2015, the tech giant partnered with Boeing to discuss launching thousands of satellites into orbit to provide global internet coverage exclusively for iPhone users.

The project, codenamed “Project Eagle,” was led by veteran engineer Ruben Caballero, who had been involved in many of Apple’s wireless initiatives, including the “Antennagate” issue on the iPhone 4. Apple reportedly spent $36 million on the testing phase at a secret facility in El Segundo, California.

In addition to satellites, Apple also plans to offer rooftop antennas to help users access the internet from space – overcoming the limitations of a “line of sight” in satellite technology.

In 2022, Apple officially launched the Emergency SOS via Satellite service on the iPhone 14, allowing users to send distress messages even when they have lost cellular signal. This service quickly recorded many successful life-saving cases, creating a memorable milestone in the mobile technology industry.

However, compared to "Project Eagle," the current SOS service is just a small fraction. Apple's original ambition was to create an internet ecosystem independent of telecommunications carriers, allowing it to directly compete with Starlink—Elon Musk's satellite company.

But then, Apple stopped the game. CEO Tim Cook was the one who directly made the decision to halt the project. He was concerned that this plan could damage the strategic relationship between Apple and carriers – which are important partners in the iPhone ecosystem.

Furthermore, deploying its own satellite network could also classify Apple as a telecommunications service provider, bringing with it legal and regulatory burdens.

Because Apple couldn't find a viable business model compelling enough to continue, "Project Eagle" was quietly terminated, without a press release or official farewell.

Apple's withdrawal from the space game doesn't mean the end of its ambitions for satellite internet. On the contrary, names like SpaceX, Amazon, and many Chinese companies are becoming increasingly aggressive in the race to provide coverage from space.

Let's consider a hypothetical situation: if Apple had continued pursuing "Project Eagle," the landscape of space connectivity might now have a completely different giant besides Elon Musk.

But Tim Cook chose to preserve relationships with carriers and steer clear of the legal risks of becoming a telecommunications infrastructure provider. At the time, that was a prudent choice. But with Starlink's rapid global coverage and increasing presence in every sector—from emergency rescue to warfare—many are beginning to wonder: has Apple missed its chance to be part of the next infrastructure revolution?

The market doesn't wait for perfection. And sometimes, the price of not being ahead isn't failure, but being forever forced to choose again.