In the latest service expansion, the number of countries where Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature is officially supported has grown to twelve.
- What’s happening? Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature will launch in six more countries soon, bringing the number of supported countries to twelve.
- Why care? Following a limited launch in the US and Canada in November 2022, this life-saving feature is slowly but surely expanding to other major markets.
- What to do? Read our tutorial explaining how to use Emergency SOS via satellite.
Emergency SOS via satellite launching in six new countries
Apple today announced the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in yellow and some new colors for its silicone cases. As part of the announcement in the Apple Newsroom, the Cupertino company also acknowledged that its Emergency SOS via satellite feature will become available to customers in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal “later this month.”
The Cupertino firm wouldn’t commit to any specific date. Still, the iPhone 14 is scheduled to land on store shelves on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, so that could also be the day Emergency SOS via satellite goes live in the above countries.
How Emergency SOS via satellite works
Emergency SOS via satellite is available on the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The life-saving feature automatically offers to establish a connection with a satellite in low orbit when the user attempts to make an Emergency SOS call or text in an area without cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
The feature also supports updating one’s location via the Find My app.
“If your iPhone or Apple Watch detects a severe car crash or a hard fall and you’re unresponsive, an automatic Crash Detection or Fall Detection notification to emergency services may be communicated by your iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro using Emergency SOS via satellite if you’re outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage,” according to an explanation on the Apple website.
Emergency SOS via satellite is free for two years after activating your iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro. Apple has yet to reveal commercial pricing for the service.
Countries where Emergency SOS via satellite is available
Counting this expansion, Emergency SOS via satellite is available in these countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- United Kingdom
- United States
For further information, check out our tutorial explaining how to use Emergency SOS via satellite, including setting up the feature and trying it out in demo mode.