Report: Apple leads satellite smartphone market as adoption hinges on broader use cases

Counterpoint Research said Apple led satellite-enabled smartphone shipments with a 71.6% share, far ahead of Samsung, Huawei, Google and Honor.

Analysts expect the market to expand as 3GPP NTN standards mature and more chipsets add satellite support from Qualcomm and MediaTek.

Broader adoption will likely hinge on non-emergency use cases, especially in North America, where carrier-satellite partnerships are building.

The report suggests satellite phones could become more mainstream by 2030, with global shipments potentially reaching 46% adoption.