iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max to feature India's GPS alternative NavIC
ISRO's NavIC is India's homegrown GPS system that was introduced in 2018 and has been adopted by several smartphone brands.
The recently unveiled iPhone 15 Pro series will feature an ISRO-made GPS alternative. To those unaware, Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max at its recently concluded Wonderlust event.
The much-awaited iPhone 15 series is set to go on sale on September 22 in global markets including India, according to the official Apple India website.
The feature-laden iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
The new iPhone 15 series boasts an impressive array of features including the latest Bionic A17 Pro chip, better cameras and more. Among other top-notch features, the iPhone 15 Pro series models will come with the aforementioned GPS system called NavIC.
Apple has added support for NavIC to its newly launched iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. NavIC is India's own regional navigation satellite system (GNSS).
— Sahil Mahajan साहिल महाजन (@SahilRMahajan) September 13, 2023
It was developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and is designed to provide accurate positioning,… pic.twitter.com/eDGvNjJHbA
This satellite navigation system has been built by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). The feature is mentioned in the detailed spec sheet of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro now supports NavIC, unlike the previous iPhones and non-Pro models in the 15 series.
— dhananjay (@dhananjayxm) September 13, 2023
NavIC is Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, developed by @isro.#AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/8i2ZfxSI0H
You'd need to scroll down to find it under the cellular and wireless section. Regrettably, this feature is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro lineup. In other words, it is not available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models.
Why is NavIC special?
NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is an ISRO-developed regional navigation satellite system. Furthermore, the system has been designed with a constellation of seven satellites that encompasses India and a region up to 1500 km beyond the country's boundary.
According to ISRO, NavIC has a wide range of applications including:
- Transportation (terrestrial, aerial and marine)
- Safety-of-life alert dissemination
- Time dissemination and synchronisation
- Scientific research
- Surveying and geodesy
- Resource monitoring
- Personal Mobility
- Location-based services
Now, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are Apple's first iPhones to come with ISRO's NavIC. However, the technology's adoption has been increasing lately on a slew of smartphones from popular brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus and Vivo.
The Cupertino-based tech giant has also been focusing on moving iPhone production to India in a bid to reduce its reliance on China. For the first time, made-in-India iPhones will go on sale in the country and some other regions at the same time as China-made units.
Apple has been assembling iPhones in India since 2017, starting with the iPhone SE. The American technology company has continued doing so every year. However, the made-in-India iPhones usually debut months after the global release.
It will be interesting to see whether Apple will eventually start manufacturing all iPhones in India. While nothing is set in stone yet, the iPhone 15 Pro is set to go on pre-order on September 15. You can choose between four eye-catching colour options including Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium and Black Titanium.
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