Apple is turning on the emergency satellite connectivity function for iPhone 14 owners today in the US and Canada.
The Emergency SOS feature is free for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models for the next two years. Apple designed it for people who end up off the grid, like when they're traveling outdoors; it allows them to connect to satellites in Earth’s orbit to send text messages to emergency services. All the user needs is a clear view of the sky.
“Additionally, if users want to reassure friends and family of their whereabouts while traveling off the grid, they can now open the Find My app and share their location via satellite,” Apple says.
The other important news is that Apple plans on expanding the Emergency SOS feature to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK sometime next month. Last week, the company also revealed it’s spending $450 million to help expand the satellite infrastructure needed to power the Emergency SOS feature.
Emergency SOS appears if the iPhone 14 can no longer access a cellular or Wi-Fi signal when dialing 911. A green icon pops up called “Emergency Text via Satellite.” Tapping it will generate a questionnaire designed to answer key questions with a few simple taps such as the nature of the emergency and who was hurt. That info is then transmitted to emergency dispatchers.
“Following the questionnaire, the intuitive interface guides the user where to point their iPhone to connect (to the orbiting satellite) and sends the initial message,” Apple says. “This message includes the user’s questionnaire responses; location, including altitude; iPhone battery level; and Medical ID, if enabled.”
Users can expect to send and receive messages via the satellites in as little as 15 seconds, assuming the sky is clear. The company also built a demo mode for the feature, which will allow an iPhone 14 owner to connect to a real satellite in range without calling emergency services.
PCMag got a sneak peek at Emergency SOS last week, and we found that it's "direct and simple to use, though the slow nature of the satellite response times can be a challenge when you're under the duress of an emergency." Check out our full rundown here.