Globe Telecom Inc. plans to bring its Starlink-powered satellite service to iPhones by yearend, potentially expanding its reach to 90 percent of its addressable smartphone market.

Eric Tanbauco, vice president and head of Consumer Mobile Business at Globe, said testing with Apple is underway, with the service expected to be enabled through an upcoming iOS software update.

“Our target rollout is the end of the year. We are already at the testing phase, so it’s really in collaboration with Apple to deploy it in their next iOS release,” Tanbauco told reporters Tuesday night on the sidelines of the company’s Blueprint event.

Globe’s satellite service currently works on compatible Android and iOS smartphones, covering about 70 percent of its addressable base. Adding support for iPhones would raise coverage to about 90 percent, as iPhones account for an estimated 20 percent to 30 percent of Globe’s addressable market.

The company is working with Apple on the software update needed to enable satellite connectivity, eliminating the need for users to buy new hardware. Tanbauco said Globe remains on track for its yearend rollout target.

The telco is also seeing rising demand for the service nearly two months after its commercial launch.

“We’re very happy with the take-up so far. So, as I mentioned, I think today we are on our seventh or eighth week in the market, and our paying customers continue to grow week-on-week,” Tanbauco said.

Globe is also expanding satellite connectivity beyond the Philippines through reciprocal roaming arrangements with telecommunications companies partnered with Starlink.

Tanbauco said Globe is ready to launch and announce a reciprocal roaming arrangement in Japan. Similar arrangements in the United States and Canada remain under testing, with a potential rollout by yearend.