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T-Mobile Expands Satellite Network to Support WhatsApp, X, and Google Maps in Remote Areas

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T-Mobile announced on Wednesday that its satellite-to-cell network—developed in partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink—now supports popular apps such as WhatsApp, Google Maps, and X, expanding mobile connectivity for users in dead zones and remote regions.

The service, known as T-Satellite, initially launched commercially in July 2024 with limited capabilities, allowing only SMS texting, MMS, photo messages, and short audio clips when users were outside the range of traditional mobile networks.

Now, T-Mobile says the system can support a dozen widely used apps, including Apple Music, Samsung Find, Pixel Weather, AccuWeather, and AllTrails, alongside its new flagship “Experience Beyond” plan.

“We’ve worked closely with Apple and Google to create frameworks for SAT mode so that any app can access the data channel when connected to the satellite,” said Jeff Giard, T-Mobile’s Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Product Innovation, in an interview with Reuters.

HOW IT WORKS

The network relies on more than 650 Starlink direct-to-cell satellites, which automatically connect when a user’s device loses a terrestrial signal.
Apps that are “satellite-ready” provide essential services such as navigation, communication, and weather updates — though not full, data-heavy features like high-definition video streaming.

T-Mobile customers under the Experience Beyond plan can access the network at no extra charge, while users from AT&T and Verizon can subscribe for $10 per month.

EXPANDING DEVELOPER ACCESS

Giard said that both the App Store and Google Play Store now support SAT mode integration through a dedicated API, enabling developers to make their apps satellite-compatible.
T-Mobile is working with app makers to encourage adoption, especially for tools that provide critical communications and safety features.

“People are excited that their regular phone can now connect to space,” Giard said. “They essentially get a satellite phone experience—without having to buy new equipment.”

With this expansion, T-Mobile strengthens its push toward universal mobile connectivity, aiming to make complete coverage a reality even in the world’s most remote areas.

U.S. Agency Sues Apple Over Alleged Religious Discrimination Against Jewish Employee

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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of religious discrimination and retaliation against a Jewish retail employee who was allegedly harassed, denied religious accommodations, and later fired.

According to the complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, the manager of Apple’s Reston, Virginia store made antisemitic remarks toward employee Tyler Steele, forced him to work on the Jewish Sabbath, and warned him not to discuss the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel with colleagues. The manager also allegedly told Steele that he “smelled like body odor.”

The EEOC says Steele, who began working for Apple in 2007 as an “Apple Genius,” converted to Judaism in 2023 and soon after requested to be excused from working from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown to observe the Sabbath. The new store manager denied these requests, the lawsuit states.

Steele reportedly complained twice to Apple’s management, but no action was taken. He was fired in January 2024, just days after again refusing to work on a Friday, according to the EEOC.

The lawsuit, filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, seeks back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, alleging Apple engaged in “malicious and reckless conduct.”

Apple did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Under Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, a Trump-appointed conservative Christian, the EEOC has increased scrutiny of cases involving religious discrimination. In a statement last August, Lucas argued that during the Biden administration, “religious protections too often took a backseat to woke policies.”

The case adds to Apple’s growing list of legal challenges related to workplace treatment and corporate responsibility.

China Slams U.S. as “Surveillance Empire” Over Chip Shipment Trackers

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China’s state-run media Xinhua criticized the United States on Friday for secretly placing location trackers in shipments of advanced chips at risk of diversion to China, calling the practice indicative of the “instincts of a surveillance empire.” Reuters had reported earlier that U.S. authorities embedded these devices to monitor shipments subject to export restrictions aimed at curbing China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology.

In a commentary titled “America turns chip trade into a surveillance game,” Xinhua accused Washington of running “the world’s most sprawling intelligence apparatus” and treating trade partners as rivals to be undermined. The piece warned that if U.S. chips are perceived as potential surveillance tools, global customers may seek alternatives.

The commentary reflects ongoing tensions between the two tech superpowers. The U.S. government has imposed strict limits on exports of advanced chips and related equipment to China, while Washington and its allies have previously accused China of embedding potential surveillance capabilities in exported products, ranging from telecom gear to vehicles.

In recent moves, China has asked U.S. chipmaker Nvidia to clarify whether its H20 chips contain hidden backdoors and has cautioned domestic tech companies about their use, amid heightened scrutiny of foreign technology for security risks.