Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature is set to expand to six new countries later this month. This expansion follows Apple’s initial launch in the United States and Canada, and its first expansion to the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Ireland.
Alongside the yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus today, Apple revealed that the Emergency SOS via satellite and Find My via satellite are coming to the following countries later this month:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Portugal
Emergency SOS via satellite enables messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Once your iPhone is connected to a satellite, you can reach emergency services regardless of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Satellite connectivity can also be used to share your location with friends and family via Find My.
Since it takes some time to establish a connection with the satellites, iPhone will ask users a few preloaded questions while the device is searching for a signal.
Apple has created a compression algorithm that makes text messages three times smaller to make communication faster, since bandwidth is low compared to cellular networks. Satellite connectivity is also integrated by default with Crash Detection.
The feature has already been praised many times by first responders and rescue teams. We’ve seen the feature kick in to help people communicate with first responders in dire situations several times:
- iPhone 14’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature touted as a ‘game changer’ by search and rescue teams
- First reported use of Emergency SOS via Satellite saves snowmobiler in Alaska
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