You may never require it, but…
Only Apple could possibly invest over $500 million in an iPhone 14-based system that most people will never use. It’s something that adds to the already amazing Emergency SOS via Satellite technology, which is now available on all iPhone 14 handsets.
How often do we get lost, handicapped, hurt, or stranded? Okay, that happens. Better question: How often do we do any of those things when we’re not connected to the internet? True, this is an extreme instance, but it has the potential to save lives.
What Apple has done here is significant. It surpassed smartphone competitors by incorporating satellite connectivity into handsets owned by millions of people. The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 Pro Max are all eligible, and the service is free (for at least two years).
When Apple released the iPhone 14 in September and it rapidly became one of our Best Phones, it gave me a live demonstration of the capability, but I couldn’t touch the phone or really delve in. Furthermore, we couldn’t test Emergency SOS via satellite on our evaluation equipment because the service wasn’t yet operational.
Apple officially launches the Globalstar satellite services-supported system today (November 15), but provided me with a hands-on peek a few days before.
Unlike the previous example, this one would be self-guided, albeit with certain constraints. Because the system relies on traditional 911 services, Apple was forced to provide me with phones that cannot contact traditional emergency services. Aside from that, the experience was absolutely authentic, with real satellites, real Apple “relay agents,” and a real text-based chat over satellite communications.
Apple invited me to Prospect Park in Brooklyn for this test, where we could build our own emergency scenario. I came early and began surveying the scene, attempting to think how I could stage an emergency among many runners, bicyclists, and an uncountable number of dogs and their walkers.
If I got lost in the 526-acre park’s sometimes deep woodlands, one of these pups would surely find me.
In any event, for the purpose of my Apple Emergency SOS via Satellite trial, I chose to suspend my disbelief.
This service can be used in a variety of ways, it turns out. The first is the obvious emergency issue, which begins with contacting 911; however, more on that later. The other two use it as a low-Earth orbit check-in system via iOS’s Find My app, and the third is a basic live demo through settings to help instruct you on how to use Emergency SOS via satellite.
To comprehend how Emergency SOS by Satellite might change your fate in an emergency, you must first decide when and when not to utilize it. Your iPhone 14 with satellite service will be the first to notify you if it is time to contact an orbiting device.
In my situation, I pretended to be lost in the park (as leashless dogs raced around me and others strolled past).
I examined the phone Apple had given me, which was programmed to divert 911 calls away from actual dispatchers and onto its own service. Even before dialing 911, I spotted the “SOS” in the upper right-hand corner of the iPhone 14 screen. It only appears when there is no cell or Wi-Fi service. I could see a tiny satellite icon next to it, indicating the existence of satellite communication.
That symbol would not appear if I were indoors (and hence not lost), and I would be unable to connect to any of the satellites.
I dialed 911 and waited, as nothing seemed to happen at first. The screen then changed, and a text message icon with a red “SOS” on top appeared in the lower left-hand corner. It was followed by the text “Emergency Text via Satellite.”
I chose it, which immediately took me to a new Emergency SOS via Satellite screen. It prompted me to:
“Be outside to get a connection.”
“Messages will take longer to send.”
“Answer questions to help get a quick response.”
These are clear directions that seem suited for someone in desperate need.
A large green button with the words “Report Emergency” was located at the bottom. A notice was included in smaller print above that “Your location and Medical ID may be shared.”
Under normal circumstances, that would be cause for concern, but as a lost person, maybe suffering from an injury, this is exactly the type of information I want delivered to first responders.
In terms of Medical ID, Apple can only exchange information that you’ve already entered into your iPhone. If you never completed that section of your Health App profile settings, Apple will have nothing to share with the medical professionals that arrive to save and treat you.
Because I was still “lost,” I pressed the huge green button. This immediately triggered a brief Q&A session with the system, during which it inquired about the nature of the emergency:
- Car or Vehicle Problem
- Crime Due to Illness or Injury
- Lost or Captured
- Fire
After reading the list, I considered myself fortunate to be merely lost and not hurt or stuck in the middle of a forest fire.
However, Emergency SOS via Satellite is considerably more precise. Then it said, “Who needs help?”
- Someone else except me
- Several People
This was followed by the question, “Is anyone injured?” I replied, “No.”
It then prompted me to characterize the emergency as follows:
- Trapped
- Lost
- Stranded
- Other
The final query probed the emergency situation. “Do any of these apply?”
- sloping ground
- Water
- cave
- None
To up the ante, I responded, “Steep terrain.”
While this may appear laborious, all of this information is intended to assist emergency personnel in locating you and properly preparing to treat and preserve you.
Following that, Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite does something extremely clever: it offers to inform your emergency contacts. Again, the significance of this is entirely dependent on whether you already loaded emergency contacts into your iPhone. If you do, your contact will be notified, and they will be able to view the whole chat you had with dispatchers and/or Apple’s emergency relay center.
As soon as I let the phone send a message to my emergency contact, it switched to a new screen that instructed me to turn until I was in position to connect with the nearest orbiting satellite. The on-screen instructions are crystal clear.
Now, if I were actually hurt and lying on the ground, I doubt I’d be able to turn left or right to find a satellite, but I’m sure I’d figure it out. When the phone detects a satellite, the tracking display becomes green and the screen transitions to a customized Messages interface.
A constant guide at the top reminds you to keep the satellite in range (if it goes out of range, the phone will direct you to turn left or right to find another satellite). I could see the details of the text message that was being sent to dispatch or Apple’s relay center below it. If the former is unable to accept a text message, it is routed to Apple relay. That was the only option in our scenario.
That wasn’t them being impolite. That’s Apple assisting me. The relay team at Apple is aware of the satellite’s restricted bandwidth. Short responses from me will get to them faster and contribute to a faster rescue.
Finally, I was informed that local responders had been contacted. I’d be found and returned home soon.
Finally, there is a way to test the service without alerting everyone to your whereabouts in an emergency. You can go into settings, slide down to Emergency SOS by Satellite, and it will walk you through finding a satellite and texting others over it. You’ll be able to comprehend what it’s like to locate and maintain a satellite connection, as well as how long it takes to text someone using this communication technology.
As I previously stated, this is not a tool for everyday usage, but if you or someone you know or love is lost, injured, in danger, or just needs to be discovered but cannot connect to the grid, Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite could save your life saver.
