Even if there is no signal, you can get free assistance.
While Apple released the iPhone 14 series last year, one of the features that distinguished these devices as some of the best smartphones was Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite, which was included for free for two years. That term was supposed to end in November 2024, but Apple has just announced that it will extend Emergency SOS via satellite coverage for all iPhone 14 models for another year.
As a result, eligible customers will be able to access the service until November 2025. You should be able to acquire the extended coverage automatically if you activated your device by 12 a.m. PT on November 15, 2023, as long as you live in a country where Emergency SOS via satellite is available (Apple has a handy list of qualifying nations).
What exactly is Satellite Emergency SOS? Simply simply, it allows you to contact emergency services via satellite rather than traditional cell service or Wi-Fi networks. That’s great for times when you need help but can’t get a signal, such as when you’re lost in the bush.
Apple has made a point of emphasizing instances in which Emergency SOS via satellite has aided stranded iPhone owners. According to Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing, this includes “a man who was rescued after his car plummeted over a 400-foot cliff in Los Angeles, to lost hikers found in the Apennine Mountains in Italy.”
A slew of security features
Emergency SOS via satellite is one of several safety features added to Apple’s iPhones in recent years. Crash Detection, for example, can immediately contact emergency authorities if your phone detects a collision. Users in the United States and Canada can also access Roadside Assistance via satellite, which allows you to phone the AAA for assistance utilizing satellite connectivity.
Over time, the Apple Watch has gained more safety features, such as fall detection, and it can track a variety of health indicators, such as abnormal heart rhythms and very high heart rates.
Interestingly, Apple has never stated how much Emergency SOS via satellite will cost once the free trial period expires, and this remains true following today’s news. It appears that we will have to wait a little longer to find out how much it will cost until Apple begins charging for it.
Nonetheless, the expansion of the free period is undoubtedly welcome news for anyone looking to trek into the wilderness – or who just finds themselves in a situation where there is no solid signal.
