Apple integrates NavIC support to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple to support NavIC: Apple has expanded its support for India's Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) navigation system by including it in new iPhone 15 models. This move aligns with the Indian government's efforts to promote its homegrown alternative to the global GPS navigation system.

On the technical specifications page for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple has indicated that these new models offer support for NavIC. This marks the first time Apple has integrated NavIC support into any of its iPhone models. However, the specific features related to NavIC support have not been detailed in the specifications. 

It's worth noting that the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus variants do not include support for NavIC, as indicated by Apple’s official technical specifications.

Multiple use cases of NavIC

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) was established in 2018 as an endeavour to create an independent, standalone navigation satellite system. Developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NavIC delivers precise positioning and timing information across India and its surrounding region.

NavIC has diverse applications across various sectors, including transportation (land, air, and sea), location-based services, personal mobility, resource monitoring, surveying, scientific research, time dissemination, synchronisation, and safety-of-life alert dissemination, according to ISRO.

Last year, India began urging smartphone manufacturers to incorporate NavIC support within a few quarters. Concerns were raised among smartphone makers that implementing the necessary hardware changes would slightly increase the cost of their devices.

In addition to the Indian iPhone 15 Pro models, the global iPhone 15 Pro variants also offer NavIC support, as stated in their official specifications. Several other smartphone models, including Xiaomi's Mi 11X and 11T Pro, OnePlus Nord 2T, and Realme 9 Pro, have already embraced NavIC support.