Emergency SOS Via Satellite On Apple's iPhone 14 Available Now
Back in September, Apple announced that starting with the iPhone 14, you could use it in dire circumstances when cell phone reception wasn’t available. Today, the feature is available to Canadians.
Although this isn’t the two-way texting feature that we are accustomed to with devices from companies such as SPOT and Garmin, this essentially makes a very important feature available to anyone with an iPhone.
“Some of the most popular places to travel are off the beaten path and simply lack cellular coverage. With Emergency SOS via satellite, the iPhone 14 lineup provides an indispensable tool that can get users the help they need while they are off the grid. Our teams worked tirelessly to tackle a new set of technical challenges to bring this service to life, in addition to building a reliable on-the-ground infrastructure. Emergency SOS via satellite is a breakthrough service available only on the iPhone 14 lineup, and a new innovation that we hope will provide our customers some peace of mind.”
Every model in the iPhone 14 lineup — iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max — can connect directly to a satellite through a combination of custom-designed components and deeply integrated software. Emergency SOS via satellite builds on existing features vital to iPhone users, including Emergency SOS, Medical ID, emergency contacts, and Find My location sharing, offering the ability to connect to a satellite for a more 360-degree approach to sharing critical information with emergency services, family, and friends.
This game-changing service allows Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) — or emergency services call centres — to connect to even more users in emergency situations, and requires no additional software or protocols to enable communications. Users will be connected directly to emergency services that are equipped to receive text messages, or to relay centres with Apple-trained emergency specialists who are ready to contact PSAPs that cannot receive text messages on the user’s behalf.
“Apple is making an important advancement in public safety with Emergency SOS via satellite. There are many remote and rural areas across Canada where this type of service is critically needed. For first responders, receiving essential information like medical ID and location is important to ensuring we send the right help, to the right place, at the right time.”
If you currently have an iPhone 14 (or newer) you can try the feature out yourself by going to Settings -> Emergency SOS -> Try Demo.
