Apple said to be working on satellites to beam data to its devices

Apple is reportedly working on communications satellites and next-generation wireless technology according to Bloomberg.

Sources familiar with the matter claim Apple has about a dozen engineers from aerospace, satellite and antenna design industries working on this project with the goal of deploying their results within five years.

Work on the project is still early and could be abandoned as there is neither a clear direction nor use for satellites. However, Apple CEO Tim Cook is said to be interested in the project.

Bloomberg speculates this project could help Apple beam internet services directly to its devices without relying on telcos.

It could also help Apple link its devices together without a traditional network. Other potential use cases include more precise location tracking for its devices and improved maps services.

The team is said to be led by former aerospace engineers Michael Trela and John Fenwick. The pair led satellite imaging at Skybox Imaging before Google acquired it in 2014.

They also led Google's satellite and spacecraft operations before leaving the company in 2017 to join Apple.

This article was first published in Hardware Zone.