Blocking Starlink access in iOS 18.3

Jeff Donald wrote:

I had a friend with one. You picked up the handset and to place a call, asked for the mobile operator. You could not dial direct. He drove a huge Cadillac and the equipment took up about ⅓ of the trunk.

Private eye shows from the sixties often showed off such phones. Mannix was one, if I recall.

Lawrence Finch wrote:

xrayman394 wrote:

Thanks!

I strongly suggest NOT updating to 18.3 until we know more, we must try and learn more about this before upgrading.

Well. I strongly suggest that you DO update to 18.3 immediately. You are at much greater risk from the existential 28 security vulnerabilities that 18.3 blocks than you are from a hypothetical risk from a feature that most iPhone can’t even have, and that is off by default on those few iPhones that are eligible.

In fact I have just read that the number is 29 security vulnerabilities!

Given that privacy is deeply associated with the Apple brand, has Apple itself made a clear statement about how it may intend to prevent Starlink from breaching data in situations where at least some data travels across Starlink technology?

Bird-is-word wrote:

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” - Ben Franklin

Leon didn’t invent satellite technology or SAT phones. There are better choices out there that Apple can pick, and using fear and putting families up against our freedom to choose just to bully us into submission is gross.

How many times do you need to be told... Apple did not "pick" Starlink. T-Mobile did.

khun92 wrote:

I strongly suggest NOT updating to 18.3 until we know more, we must try and learn more about this before upgrading

I strongly suggest UPDATING to 18.3.1, which resolves 30 security vulnerabilities, any of which would be a much greater risk to you and your iPhone than the mythical issue of StarLink being built in to iOS 13 (HINT: It isn’t)

khun92 wrote:

Feb 2, 2025 3:25 PM in response to Zachyy

Thanks!

I strongly suggest NOT updating to 18.3 until we know more, we must try and learn more about this before upgrading

Read the thread you just posted to. Advising people to not update to iOS 18.3 is not necessary at all and honestly completely wrong. We DO know more about this, which if you bothered to read, you would too.

Booboo1111 wrote:

I refuse to update and just ordered my first Chinese phone. I trust them with my data more than Elonia and Google, and other USA tech oligarchs.

OK. No one here really cares what you use as your cell phone. But you have most assuredly made a decision based on MISINFORMATION - MYTH and FEAR. Read this --> The Starlink Myth - Apple Community

I have not had Starlink to this point and my family lives. The upside to not connecting Starlink far out weighs any downside.

How can we get our concerns to Apple? If I have to have starlink (toggled on or not) to update my iOS . I will get rid of the phone.

This is honestly so upsetting that I intend to switch all of my devices to PC and Android

IdrisSeabright wrote:

That run on sentence is very hard to parse.

But it is sensible 😏

M8lues wrote:

Well I guess it's time to buy a new phone and pc. I 'm done with apple.

So, what are you going to buy? Android (which includes Samsung and Google)? Nope, they've had Starlink through T-Mobile far longer than you could access Starlink through T-Mobile on iPhone. And again, you can ONLY access Starlink through T-Mobile. And PCs can't make Satellite calls, so I'm not sure what buying a different PC will accomplish? But knock yourself out and spend your money however you want. Doesn't matter to anyone here what you buy.

Perhaps this will be your next cell phone:

A simple connection to a service doesn’t grant access to the phone’s data. Think about that. Every time you go overseas for travel you are on someone else’s network. Do they steal your data??

I had a friend with one. You picked up the handset and to place a call, asked for the mobile operator. You could not dial direct. He drove a huge Cadillac and the equipment took up about ⅓ of the trunk.

xrayman394 wrote:

Thanks!

I strongly suggest NOT updating to 18.3 until we know more, we must try and learn more about this before upgrading.

Well. I strongly suggest that you DO update to 18.3 immediately. You are at much greater risk from the existential 28 security vulnerabilities that 18.3 blocks than you are from a hypothetical risk from a feature that most iPhone can’t even have, and that is off by default on those few iPhones that are eligible.