If you’re the type of person that regularly goes off the grid, Apple just made it easier to call for help with your iPhone 14. Today, the company launched Emergency SOS via satellite, enabling anyone with the latest iPhone model to connect to a satellite when they’re out of cellular range.
Apple understands that this new feature will take some getting used to, and you don’t want to try it for the first time when you have an accident in the high desert. And practicing when there’s no emergency will only cause headaches for you and your local police department. That’s why the company introduced a training module for the new feature in the latest iOS update.
If you have an iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, or 14 Pro Max, make sure you’ve updated to iOS 16.1.1, then navigate to the Emergency SOS module in Settings to begin the tutorial. The emergency demo walks you through the steps necessary to get help where cell coverage is unavailable. These include dialing 911, answering some questions about your condition, and pointing the iPhone 14 toward the sky at the closest available satellite to get you help.
Other features of the new SOS module include sharing your location via satellite. This is useful if you ever go missing while adventuring off the grid. Sharing your location with a trusted friend or family member can help emergency services find you more quickly. It’s also useful if you travel in the wilderness with others and get separated. Satellite locations can be found just in the Find My app, just like regular shared locations.
Emergency SOS is available today in the United States and Canada and will roll out to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December.
Sources: Apple Newsroom, Engadget
