Apple Shelves Exclusive iPhone Text Feature That Works Even Without Reception

Apple has recently stopped working on a potential iPhone feature that would allow texting between Apple devices even without reception. The new feature is said to be one of Apple’s attempts to achieve hardware independency.

Apple, in partnership with Intel, developed a feature called the Off-Grid Radio Service or OGRS, according to a report from The Information. The service would reportedly have allowed Apple devices such as iPhones to remotely text each other even if there’s no cellphone reception signal. Ultimately, this feature could further improve Apple devices’ overall convenience for its owners.

However, we won’t be seeing this feature anytime soon as the company suspended development of this project for unspecified reasons. Fortunately, it’s still possible for Apple to resume developing this feature later. For 2020, Apple had to spend funds with Qualcomm in order to make the first set of 5G iPhones, according to Business Insider. After this, Apple could focus on pushing out this feature as soon as possible.

For this year, it makes sense for Apple to pursue this service rather than invest more on upcoming gadgets. Apple has been more interested in pushing new services and subscriptions, as well as extending the company’s reach beyond its smart device specialty.

Apple is slated to release many subscriptions in late 2019. The company is also moving toward making its devices a handy gadget as some of its apps, like the Apple Wallet, are aimed to be integrated into daily life. Apple Wallet now supports digital student IDs for select universities in the U.S., which greatly extends the app’s use outside of just holding money for the students.

For now, many fans are eagerly waiting for any new Apple devices that will be released this coming September. The company has long been releasing new devices in this specific month for the past few years. However, the company has yet to officially announce any new devices for release this September. Fans can only hope that the next iPhone 11 does get released in September.