Apple, For India: Apple iPhone 15 Pro will support NavIC, India’s own GPS alternative

In a major win the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) the operational name of NavIC or acronym for Navigation with Indian Constellation, Apple will now support NavIC in some of its latest iPhone 15 models, appearing to align with New Delhi’s efforts to embrace India’s homegrown alternative to the GPS navigation system.

On the technical specifications page for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple has stated that these new models now include support for NavIC. This marks the first time Apple has introduced NavIC support to any of its iPhone models.

However, the company has not disclosed which specific features will be included in this integration. As of now, there has been no immediate response from an Apple spokesperson regarding this development.

It’s worth noting that the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus variants, according to their official technical specifications, do not mention any support for NavIC.

NavIC, an abbreviation for Navigation with Indian Constellation, became operational in India in 2018, representing India’s ambitious endeavour to establish an independent, self-reliant navigation satellite system.

Developed by India’s space research organization, ISRO, NavIC provides precise positioning and timing information covering India and its surrounding regions. Utilizing a constellation of more than half a dozen satellites, NavIC extends its coverage to encompass the entire landmass of India.

The applications of NavIC are extensive, ranging from terrestrial, aerial, and marine transportation to location-based services, personal mobility, resource monitoring, surveying, geodesy, scientific research, time synchronization, and the dissemination of safety-of-life alerts, all as outlined by ISRO.

In the previous year, India commenced a push for smartphone manufacturers to incorporate NavIC support within a few quarters, a development reported by Reuters, citing government documents. Many smartphone manufacturers expressed concerns that the necessary hardware modifications could lead to a slight increase in the cost of their devices.

Additionally, the official specifications pages confirm that the global iPhone 15 Pro models also offer support for NavIC. Moreover, numerous other smartphones, including Xiaomi’s Mi 11X, 11T Pro, OnePlus Nord 2T, and Realme 9 Pro, are compatible with NavIC.