Apple has today announced that its new iPhone 14 Emergency SOS via satellite feature is coming to four new countries in December, as the feature rolls out in the U.S. and Canada today, November 15.
"Emergency SOS via satellite is available in the US and Canada starting today, November 15, and will come to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December," the company stated in a press release.
The feature allows all of Apple's best iPhone models from 2022, the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, to send emergency SOS calls via satellite to share critical information in an emergency where cellular service and Wi-Fi is not available.
Satellite connectivity
The Emergency SOS via satellite feature will cost users something at some point, however, Apple has not revealed the pricing of the service and is currently offering it for free for two years starting at the time you activate your new iPhone 14. You'll need to be running iOS 16.1.
The new iPhone 14 and 14 Pro were unveiled in September. The iPhone 14 doesn't offer much in the way of upgrades over the iPhone 13, however, the iPhone 14 Pro is a major improvement thanks to the A16 chip and its new Dynamic Island, which replaces the notch of the old models.
Apple's Emergency SOS via satellite feature lets users contact emergency services even if they are unable to dial 911 by using a short questionnaire to answer vital questions that can be passed on to dispatchers. An interface helps users to point their iPhone in the right direction to help their iPhone connect to the satellite and send the message.
Users can also use the feature to share their location with Find My even if they aren't in an emergency situation, which is perfect for hiking in the wilderness and other such adventures.
